Celiac disease, also called celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is a condition that causes an extreme reaction to the ingestion of gluten. When someone with celiac disease consumes gluten, the immune system overreacts and damages the small intestine.
Celiac disease may be diagnosed in adulthood, but it is often diagnosed in infancy and childhood. Irritability is a common symptom of celiac disease in children. Celiac disease can also cause diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Before the infant begins to eat food containing gluten, and it than with celiac disease may have normal digestion and growth. As foods containing gluten are added to the infant's diet, the infant with celiac disease may experience diarrhea, projectile vomiting, a distended abdomen, irritability, poor weight gain, and poor growth.
Children with celiac disease may have poor appetite and poor growth. The symptoms of celiac disease may temporarily subside during adolescence and become problematic again in early adulthood.
The only known treatment for celiac disease is to follow gluten-free diet. If a child is diagnosed with celiac disease, it is often beneficial for the entire family to follow gluten-free diet. This prevents the child from being exposed to foods containing gluten in the home and may reduce stress on the parents caused by needing to watch the child's intake of food at all times.
Some parents of celiac children experience anxiety when it is time for the children to attend school. Within a school, a celiac child is likely to be exposed to foods that contain gluten. Foods containing gluten will be present in the school cafeteria and also during student birthday celebrations and snacks if applicable.
The child's celiac disease and need for a gluten-free diet should be discussed with the school nurse, school dietician, and the student's teacher. Parents may also want to discuss the celiac disease with the principal of the school.
The child will need to follow a gluten-free diet for their entire lives. Gluten is present in foods containing wheat, rye, and barley. Some foods that are not associated with wheat, barley, or rye may contain gluten such as lunchmeat and frozen potatoes.
Parents of children with celiac disease need to educate the children on how to identify foods that contain gluten. Parents will need to show the child how to follow a gluten-free diet and how to read food labels to determine which foods contain gluten. Gradually, the parents may give more responsibility to the child to follow a gluten-free diet.
More Information:
Categories
