Cystic Fibrosis in Children

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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common genetic (inherited) diseases in America. It is also one of the most serious. It mainly affects the lungs and the digestive system, causing problems with breathing and digesting foods. It is a chronic disease that currently has no cure. If your child is diagnosed with CF, know that most people with CF live full, active lives. Our team is here to help your child with the latest treatments and supportive care for all aspects of CF.

Thanks to revolutionary new treatments, most patients with CF now live well into adulthood. We work closely with the Stanford Health Care team to treat kids with cystic fibrosis and transition patients into adulthood smoothly and successfully.

Our Cystic Fibrosis program is one of 20 in the nation. We have a dedicated team that offers respiratory therapy, nutritional counseling, diabetes treatment, psychiatry and social work services. We are the only Cystic Fibrosis Foundation–designated Therapeutic Development Network Center in California, Nevada and Oregon and have cared for patients who come from as far away as Brazil.

Our pediatric pulmonologists work closely with gastroenterologists; ear, nose and throat specialists; and endocrinologists to manage this complex disease. Learn more about what to expect during your first visit and resources available for our patients.

We also participate in dozens of clinical trials that are searching for new treatments and methods to improve the length and quality of our patients’ lives. Our doctors and researchers are working to understand more about CF and develop new treatments, including gene editing.

Meet Lauren Catron

Lauren could be considered a poster child for how far medical science has come to promote survival in patients with cystic fibrosis, a chronic genetic disease that affects the lungs and the digestive systems — and has no cure. When Lauren was diagnosed with CF at 3 years old, her doctors said she may not make it to her teens. She’s now thriving in her late 20s.

See Lauren’s story