What is Celiac Disease?

The Mayo Clinic said it best....  

Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction produces inflammation that damages the small intestine's lining and prevents absorption of some nutrients (malabsorption).

The intestinal damage can cause weight loss, bloating and sometimes diarrhea. Eventually, your brain, nervous system, bones, liver and other organs can be deprived of vital nourishment.

In children, malabsorption can affect growth and development. The intestinal irritation can cause stomach pain, especially after eating.

There's no cure for celiac disease — but following a strict gluten-free diet can help manage symptoms and promote intestinal healing.

The signs and symptoms of celiac disease can vary greatly.

Although the classic signs are diarrhea and weight loss, most people with celiac disease experience few or no digestive signs or symptoms. Only about one-third of people diagnosed with celiac disease experience diarrhea, and about half have weight loss.

Twenty percent of people with celiac disease have constipation, and 10 percent are obese.

In addition to digestive problems, other signs and symptoms of celiac disease include:

• Anemia, usually resulting from iron deficiency
• Loss of bone density (osteoporosis) or softening of bone (osteomalacia)
• Itchy, blistery skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)
• Damage to dental enamel
• Headaches and fatigue
• Nervous system injury, including numbness and tingling in the feet and hands, and possible problems with balance
• Joint pain
• Reduced functioning of the spleen (hyposplenism)
• Acid reflux and heartburn

Children

As many as 75 percent of children with celiac disease are overweight or obese. Digestive signs and symptoms are experienced by 20 to 30 percent of children with the condition although the precise signs and symptoms differ by age.

In infants, typical signs and symptoms of celiac disease include:

• Chronic diarrhea
• Swollen belly
• Pain
• Failure to thrive or weight loss

Older children may experience:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Short stature
• Delayed puberty
• Neurologic symptoms, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability, headaches and lack of muscle coordination

These symptoms get mis-diagnosed frequently so if you are having symptoms ask your doctor to do a diagnostic test.  Hope this is helpful!