Print this page
Email a friend
Was this information helpful? Average rating: 5/5 (31 votes)
What do you think? Click the stars to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
Celiac disease is rooted in an immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in barley, rye and wheat. It can cause a huge range of symptoms, from diarrhea, cramps, bloating and reflux to fatigue, depression, anemia, osteoporosis or even dementia. Celiac disease has long been considered rare. Many physicians were taught that it affected roughly 1 out of 5,000 children. It was diagnosed in babies whose severe diarrhea caused weight loss. But advances in diagnosis have changed the picture in the past decade.
After 1997, when antibody tests became readily available, the number of youngsters diagnosed with celiac disease in one Canadian pediatric hospital tripled. Many of the children identified through blood tests did not have typical symptoms. About two-fifths had obscure digestive symptoms such as chronic bellyache, while 15 percent had non-digestive symptoms such as iron deficiency. Some children who were tested because of a family history of celiac disease had no symptoms, but did have the condition. The treatment, avoiding gluten in the diet, can ward off a lifetime of serious medical issues.
[Pediatrics, Dec., 2009]
Was this information helpful? Average rating: 5/5 (31 votes)
What do you think? Click the stars to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
What about undiagnosed Celiac disease in adults? My husband has many of the symptoms described and they have been a constant cause of discomfort and embarrassment: unexpected diarrhea, low iron, depression, fatigue, and other symptoms. Would it be smart to get him tested?
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: IT WOULD BE A SMART IDEA.
There is also those folks who have the same symptoms, just as severe who are not diagnosed with celiac. They have a sensitivity to wheat. Also remind others that milk is a culprit that goes hand in glove with the wheat problems.
My Nutritional Counselor advised I try a gluten free diet to eliminate inflammation and therefore pain from a degenerative disc. I did follow a gluten-free diet for about 2 1/2 months and did notice a difference in my pain and stiffness. I have asked my doctor to run a gluten antibody test on me to determine if I truly need the gluten-free diet, as it is not easy. How long should I resume eating gluten before the test is run??
Thanks,
Sandy
Could it be possible for Celiac disease and Crohn's to go hand in hand? A lot of the symptoms are the same.
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP, THOUGH IT IS NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD. HERE IS A RECENT ARTICLE:
Autoimmun Rev. 2009 Nov 10. [Epub ahead of print]
The geoepidemiology of autoimmune intestinal diseases.
Logan I, Bowlus CL.