Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine due to the sensitivity, ie the permanent intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine triggered by gluten indigestible substances, which occurs in genetically predisposed individuals.
Ingestion of foods with gluten produces progressive damage to the villi of the intestine responsible for absorbing nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins) in food and pass the organism. These villi damaged, there is a consequent malabsorption of nutrients, therefore, celiac disease may suffer from malnutrition and suffering from other diseases.
As the disease villous atrophy of the small intestine responsible for absorbing nutrients, celiac disease often suffer from steatorrhea (fat in the stool), feces are abundant, pale and very smelly, one of the main indicators of the condition.
Celiac Disease in Children
Celiac Disease in Children
It is difficult to pinpoint the symptoms of celiac disease because not all people experience the same discomfort, both clinical and functional manifestations are quite variable.
Anyway, the most common symptoms are diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, growth retardation, constipation and mood swings. The disease significantly affect white people. It is more common in women than in men, and hereditary. If one twin has the disease, the other also have the disease, and it is likely that detection of a celiac in a family, their closest relatives also suffer the same disease. It is recommended that family members of people with celiac disease are examined.
How to Prevent Celiac Disease in Children
Currently, it is possible to prevent this disease. Is due to its multifactorial origin and ignorance of environmental and genetic factors that together with the gluten from the diet and genetic susceptibility profile, induce abnormal response of the intestinal immune system.
Celiac Disease Treatment in Children
Children with celiac disease who do not receive proper treatment are characterized by low muscle mass, pale skin, anemia, bone calcium loss, poor growth or complete halt of it, swollen abdomen and buttocks flat, skin lesions, mouth sores, and vomiting.
Sometimes diarrhea without severe disease damages so the digestion of infants generating a significant loss of body weight and cessation of normal growth, but to have a gluten-free diet these symptoms fade and the child back to health .
