Over the past decade, more and more people have been diagnosed with celiac disease. Americans, however, know little about this debilitating illness. Basically, this disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine. Those that suffer from it have serious reactions when they eat gluten – a substance primarily found in wheat, barley, and rye.
It is true, for some people pasta, bread, cereal, and cake may make them sick!
Although health care providers are diagnosing celiac disease more effectively, The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center states that 97% of people with the illness do not know they have it, and a child will visit an average of eight pediatricians before he or she is diagnosed with it. One reason for the lack of diagnosis is that this disease can strike at any age, from infancy to late adulthood. Because 3 million people in the United States suffer from celiac disease, it makes sense to learn more about it.
What causes celiac disease?
When a person with celiac disease eats products with gluten in them their immune system reacts by attacking the small intestine, specifically the villi. This damage prevents the small intestine from absorbing nutrients. Research has shown that some people may have a gene that makes them susceptible to the illness.
What are the symptoms?
The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center states that although the symptoms differ from patient to patient, most suffer from one or more of the following:
- Recurring abdominal bloating and pain
- Chronic diarrhea/constipation
- Vomiting
- Liver and biliary tract disorders
- Weight loss
- Pale, foul-smelling stool
- Iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to iron therapy
- Fatigue
- Failure to thrive or short stature
- Delayed puberty
- Pain in the joints
- Tingling numbness in the legs
- Pale sores inside the mouth
- A skin rash
- Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
- Unexplained infertility, recurrent miscarriage
- Osteopenia (mild) or osteoporosis
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression
If a doctor thinks a person has celiac disease, he or she will order a screening test to detect antibodies in the blood. Final confirmation of the illness is made by a biopsy of the small intestine.
Are there any treatments?
The only treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. This can be very difficult to follow at first, as people need to recognize which foods contain gluten. Of course breads, pastas, cakes, and cereals contain gluten, but many processed foods contain it as well. It can even be found in some vinegars, soy sauces, and salad dressings. With the help of a dietician, however, following a gluten-free diet is doable.
Is there hope?
Yes! When a patient follows a gluten-free diet, healing of the small intestine can begin. Negative symptoms usually begin to disappear as well. Although learning to avoid foods containing gluten may be difficult as first, most adapt to the new diet fairly quickly.
If you want to learn more about celiac disease, talk to your health care provider. In addition, you can visit the University of Chicago’s celiac disease website. It is a comprehensive resource that offers facts sheets, research articles, and even videos on this topic.
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