| Celiac Disease or Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy is a | | | | purpose of the biopsy is to check for damages to |
| digestive disease that damages the villi in our small | | | | the villi that maybe caused by the CD or |
| intestines that help us absorb nutrients from the | | | | symptoms of the celiac disease. |
| food we take in. It can be passed down | | | | 1. Dermatitis Herpetiformis - DH (dermatitis |
| genetically, but if it is not treated before it turns | | | | Herpetiformis) is a rash on the skin that occurs in |
| severe, it can truly alter a life if not completely | | | | 15-25% in people with celiac disease, having |
| bring it severe suffering. In children, we recognize | | | | dermatitis herpetiformis does not necessarily |
| celiac disease by the symptoms that appear | | | | mean a person has CD but it is a good way to |
| before they are two months old as infants. It | | | | determine if the person has it by taking out the |
| may happen at any age, but it occurs when the | | | | glutens in the daily intake to check is any adverse |
| body reacts badly to the intake of gluten- which | | | | reactions occur concerning the stomach pains. |
| mostly comes in the form of wheat, rye and | | | | People with DH but no celiac disease should take |
| barley. The gluten gives the body a destructive | | | | antibiotics such as Dapsone to help stop the |
| reaction where the nutrients don't get absorbed | | | | itching and blistering of their skin on their elbows, |
| by the villi, but rather destroys them, creating | | | | knees and buttocks since most people who have |
| malnourishment and hard stool in infants. The | | | | dermatitis herpetiformis do not have celiac |
| symptoms of celiac disease in infants are they | | | | disease. If a person has both then they should |
| tend to vomit and have a swollen stomach often | | | | enter a gluten-free diet and handle their skin |
| have diarrhea with a pungent odor. | | | | rashes separately with dapsone as the gluten-free |
| The way to treat celiac disease is simply to | | | | diet only handles an internal condition. |
| provide the child with a gluten-free diet and keep | | | | 2. Screening - The screening of the body for |
| them away from glutens for the rest of their | | | | celiac disease is a test to look for auto antibodies |
| lives. The healing of the villi can occur within | | | | in the blood since celiac disease is somewhat |
| months after implementing the strict gluten-free | | | | hereditary and may be carried over through the |
| diet and feeding them gluten free foods. Parents | | | | genes. |
| should not jump to conclusions just by the | | | | Celiac disease must always be handled with care |
| symptoms alone but rather exercise proper | | | | when with children as it can play a psychological |
| caution in diagnosing their children through a series | | | | problem if constantly given attention, which can |
| of tests: | | | | cause the child to be more towards being |
| Blood Tests - The signs the doctors look for here | | | | awkward to people than being a normal child |
| is the levels of autoantibody that actually react | | | | around people. Parents should support the child |
| against the body's own tissue and cells in the | | | | and remember that a lot of other problems can |
| blood of the child. They search for high-levels of | | | | occur should the child not be taken care of |
| anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or | | | | properly such as the possible inducing of lactose |
| EMA (anti-endomysium antibodies). There are | | | | intolerance in the child or Crohn's disease, which is |
| cases where the results are given back negative | | | | an inflammation of the small intestine, and in some |
| but the child still retains celiac disease symptoms | | | | cases IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) may occur |
| which may need more blood tests to confirm the | | | | as a part of the lactose intolerance in children with |
| actual cause. | | | | celiac disease. The parents should keep them |
| Biopsy- This is an operational test where a piece | | | | strictly in a gluten-free diet to ensure their life |
| of the small intestine is taken for tests. The | | | | stays healthy. |