Celiac disease in children - What you should know if you are a parent

Celiac disease is a result of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity. It can affect children in many ways based on their age. Characterized as an autoimmune digestive disorder, celiac disease in children can occur whenever they consume gluten-contented foods if they have gluten intolerance.

What is gluten and how it causes celiac disease? 

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, triticale, rye, and barley. It is also used in medicines, and even in some cosmetics such as lipstick. When the gluten is consumed by a gluten-intolerant body, the immunity system creates toxins as a response.

 These toxins potentially damage the inner linings of the intestines that contain finger-like protrusions known as villi and responsible for nutrition absorption. Prolonged celiac condition leading to malnutrition in children irrespective of the health diet routine of the child.

 

What are the causes of celiac disease?

There is one known reason behind celiac disease - being gluten intolerant. There is no particular reason as to why the body becomes gluten intolerant. People who have celiac disease run’s in their families as well as people with lactose intolerance, Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, and thyroid diseases are in the risk group.

How to know if your child has celiac disease?

The common celiac disease symptoms range from mild to severe and it changes from child to child. In a few cases, the disease can be present in the body without any symptoms for ages. However, here are a few common symptoms of celiac disease starting from toddlers to teenagers. 

• In toddlers the common symptoms will be vomiting, abdominal bloating, poor growth rate, weight loss. 
• The same symptoms can carry forward in school going children in the case of the celiac disease but most common symptoms are stomach ache, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain.
• In rare conditions, few adults become gluten intolerant and they show different symptoms and they include stunted growth, chronic fatigue, delayed puberty, headaches and migraines, joint irritations, mouth sores, and skin rashes.

Diagnosis and treatment for celiac disease

 As celiac disease runs in families, the diagnosis starts with checking the family history followed by physical examination and various blood tests that include complete blood count, liver function, cholesterol, and serum albumin tests. The tests also include internal biopsy (villi) or external biopsy (skin). If the blood reports and the external biopsy are sufficient enough to conclude the results, the gastro specialist might not go for the internal biopsy.

There is no permanent cure for celiac disease. The only cure available is removing all the gluten sources from your diet. Your doctor might prescribe medications to heal the internal villi (if there was a damage) and it starts absorbing the nutrients properly.

How to prevent symptoms of celiac disease?

If your child has been diagnosed with celiac disease, you might want to keep a watchful eye on what they are eating. Gluten can increase the intolerant reaction in no time and it is always good to be safe than sorry. Always look out for ‘gluten-free’ label when you go for grocery shopping.

 

Foods with gluten 

Make a list of foods that contain gluten and keep them away from your child’s reach. Wheat bread, rye, barley, farina, durum, graham flour, and semolina are major gluten carriers.

Unfortunately, most pies, cookies, candies, pasta, cakes, cereals, and whole other children-favorite foods are made of wheat and other gluten carriers.

Strictly avoid these foods unless the products carry the ‘gluten-free’ label. 

Foods without gluten 

The good news is you have a great deal of foods that take care of the delicacy cravings of your kids. Here are the foods you can give to your child without a second thought. In fact, these are healthier than any of the foods mentioned above.

•  Fruits, lentils, corn, and vegetables
•  Fresh meat, poultry, and fish
•  Peas, sweet and regular potatoes, and other starchy vegetables

If you are a parent, you know how difficult it would be to convince your kid to eat any of the gluten-free foods mentioned in the above list. But it all boils down to your convincing skills - both in your words and the way you present the food to the kid.