This post was sponsored by Walgreens Cystic Fibrosis Services as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Being a caregiver to someone with CF isn’t easy. Because each person lives with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) differently, each treatment regime varies by person. There are many things you need to make sure happen as part of your normal routine to keep your child healthy. One major part of our routine is staying active. Being active helps our daughter’s CF stay at bay and is a great way for her to boost her lung function, get rid of mucus, and most important, makes her feel like a normal kid.
Because CF effects the respiratory and digestive system, a lot of times kids and even adults with CF are thought to be unable to participate in much physical activity due to their higher risk of infection which can lead to them being isolated. Here are 3 tips we’ve learned through out our journey that help us keep our daughter active and healthy.
1) Let Others Know Physical Activity Is OK
Since people without CF normally don’t fully understand the disease, it’s important to inform other adults, teachers and friends that are around your child to encourage physical activity as much as possible. Being active holds many great benefits for keeping those with CF healthy and happy!
2) Play Team Sports
There’s nothing better or more fun than the feeling of accomplishment and being a part of team sports will not only help your CF kid stay healthy, it will boost their moral as well. Since have CF can make children feel isolated or different than others, it’s important to get them involved in activities that allow them to make friends and be a part of something. Team sports or activities that promote high excretion can help clear out mucus from the lungs and help them to grow stronger.
3) Be Active As A Family
Staying active as a family is an amazing way for everyone to feel active, healthy and closer to one another. Being a caregiver to a child with CF I feel we certainly have a special family bond. Being able to do actives together as a family helps to strengthen that bond and even learn things about each other we didn’t already know. We try to do at least 4 different outdoor activities a week which include: bike riding, walking, outdoor games and even going to the beach.
When it comes to keeping your CF child happy and healthy, nothing helps more than believing in them. Making sure our daughter stays active shows her how much we are committed to her health and wellness and how much we believe in her ability to rise above Cystic Fibrosis.
If you or someone you know has Cystic Fibrosis, take a look at other CF journeys through Walgreen’s CF Champions “Navigating The Journey, Together” as well as find great resources on living with CF and treatment.
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