About Coeliac Disease
If your child has been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease, this means their body reacts abnormally to a protein commonly found in wheat, rye, barley and oats called gluten. Children can develop the disease as young as just 6 months of age, usually in conjunction with transition to solids containing gluten. Testing for the disease is straightforward, and a diagnosis is important for managing symptoms and health outcomes.
Examination and Diagnosis
Coeliac disease is inherited but not all children with the genes will develop the disease. Environmental factors and past medical history including gastrointestinal viruses can play a role in triggering the disease. Dr McIntyre will examine your child and take a thorough medical and family history. Diagnosis usually involves antibody screening via a series of blood tests or in some children may require a gastroscopy to inspect the villi in your child’s intestinal walls for damage.
Treatment
Without a cure available for the disease, children and adults alike with coeliac disease must follow a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. By omitting gluten from their diet, your child’s small intestine can heal and symptoms should recede within a few days or weeks. In some children, damage to their intestinal tract has impacted their nutrient absorption.
In this case they may be prescribed a supplement for a period of time.