Symptoms

Cystic fibrosis signs and symptoms can vary from child to child, depending on the severity of the disease. Even in the same child, symptoms may worsen or improve as time passes. In some children, symptoms begin during infancy. Other people may not begin experiencing symptoms until adolescence or adulthood.
One of the first signs of cystic fibrosis is an excessively salty taste to the skin. People with cystic fibrosis tend to have higher than normal amounts of salt in their sweat. Parents often can taste the salt when they kiss their child.
Most of the other signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis affect the respiratory system or the digestive system.