Sey) Sean is Maureen’ fist baby. Maureen and her © husband, Conner; had enjoyed an uncom- plicated pregnancy and delivery. Maureen had felt healthy {throughout the pregnancy, but something was wrong with, ‘her baby. Seanis 1 month old, and not thriving. He seems to have a ‘good appetite and breastfeeds as ifhe s starving: yet he has dropped 20 percent of his normal bith weight of 7 pounds, Bounces. He is down to only 6 pounds at his 1-month checkup, and his skin looks ‘wrinkly: He is having several greasy, almost foamy looking stools each day. They remind Maureen of cake Baby Sean has cystic fibrosis (CF, alife-threat- ening genetic disease. He inherited a defective _gene from each of his parents, both mother and father. This faulty gene affects the movement of salt—sodium chloride (NaC)—in and out of cells. Asa result, the body produces thick, sticky secretions, including digestive juices that cannot get out ‘of the pancreas into the small intestine. Digestive juices contain enzymes that ae the catalysts of digestion. These digestive enzymes aid in the decomposition reactions that break down lipids and carbohydrates in food, ‘making them available for absorption and use by the Body's cells. Without these enzymes, Sean cannot absorb food, soit passes right through him without being digested. ‘The defective gene also results in thick, heavy secretions that cog the lungs, making Sean short of breath, wheezy, and ‘susceptible to repeated lung infections. It also makes his skin taste very salty. fcing, Maureen also notices the funniest thing. Sean's skin tastes salty. ‘Most alarmingly, he seems tobe having some difficulty breathing recently. He sounds wheezy. Maureen and Conner are both from big families, and, none of the babies have ever been sickly like this. ‘The diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, Ismade witha sweat test. A sereat- producing chemical is appliedto an ‘area of Sean’ skin, and the sweat is collected and tested for salt. ‘tely. Hels able to absort his food nearly normally by taking diges- ‘Sve enzymes before each feeding, Maureen and Conner leam to perform special exercises and treatments with Sean several times ‘day to der the thick secretions from his lungs. Sean isalso carefully ‘monitored for signs of lung infections such as pneumonia. Soon ‘Sean gains weight and begins to thrive. 1. What undigested substances would have made Baby Sean's stools greasy, almost foamy looking? 2, Why are digestive enzymes necessary for life? packet