Celiac disease is a common and autoimmune condition of the small intestine that persists for life and is caused by a reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye.
It is estimated that celiac disease affects one in every 100 children in Europe and can occur at any age, both in babies when introducing complementary feeding, as in children and adolescents. It is one of the most common chronic diseases related to feeding among boys and affects girls more than boys. Although more and more cases are diagnosed, Up to 80% of pediatric celiac disease cases in Europe remain undiagnosed.
Is celiac disease hereditary?
Celiac disease is not hereditary, but it is there is a genetic predisposition to suffer it. The probability of developing celiac disease is one in ten for children with a first-degree relative diagnosed.
They are also among the risk groups with the greatest predisposition to celiac disease: people with type 1 diabetes, Turner syndrome, Down syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease, Williams syndrome and autoimmune liver disease.
Despite being easy to detect and treat, the diagnosis can be delayed up to eight years.Symptoms of celiac disease in children
In most celiac people one or more symptoms are manifested, although there are also asymptomatic people who do not have any discomfort. The most frequent symptoms in children are:
- swelling, or a feeling of fullness or inflammation in the abdomen
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- gas
- sickness
- fatty, smelly stools that float
- stomach ache
- vomiting
- fragile hair
In turn, non-absorption of nutrients in childhood can cause:
- permanent tooth enamel damage
- late puberty
- developmental delay in babies
- mood swings or feeling of discomfort or restlessness
- stunted growth and short stature
- weightloss
How is it diagnosed?
In the case of suspected symptoms related to celiac disease, the next step is to perform A blood test for the detection of antibodies characteristic of celiac disease.
In some cases, this may be sufficient, but most of the time it is necessary to perform a intestinal biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. It is the gold test currently available to accurately detect if there is celiac disease and the degree of bowel injury according to Marsh criteria.
In addition, when confirming the diagnosis it is advisable to assess whether the rest of the family (siblings, parents and children) could also be affected by the disease.
The importance of early diagnosis
Proper compliance with the early diagnosis protocol is key to detect celiac disease in time and prevent the appearance of diseases associated with a late diagnosis or lack of diagnosis.
Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is a strict lifelong follow-up of a gluten-free diet.Research on the disease continues to progress, and there is even talk of a possible vaccine not too far away. Hopefully in a short time there is good news for celiacs and especially for children with celiac disease, who have to learn to live without gluten from a young age.
