Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital launchesclinic for cystic fibrosis

Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital in Chennai, has launched a dedicated multi-disciplinary clinic for cystic fibrosis, in order to bring together diagnosis, treatment and long-term management for children under one roof.

Explaining the challenges involved with cystic fibrosis, which is a genetic disorder that causes thick mucus to build up in the body and affect multiple organs, Janani Sankar, medical director, KKCTH, at a press meet on Thursday said children presented with different symptoms, including recurrent lung infections, oily stools, and inadequate weight gain, which often led to difficulties in early diagnosis.

Having to go to multiple specialists at different centres also took a physical, emotional, and financial toll on families, she said.

Bala Ramachandran, head of paediatric intensive care, noted that cystic fibrosis was estimated to be present in 1 in 10,000 live births in India and that many more children were likely living with it undiagnosed.