Persevering a condition where celiac disease symptoms are triggered by a staple of the western diet is difficult for people of any age, but identifying and diagnosing celiac disease symptoms in children can be particularly difficult and troubling. We will distinguish celiac disease symptoms in children as symptoms that manifest more often in individuals of adolescent age or younger and that occur in individuals who ultimately test positive for celiac sprue disease.
Read Gluten Intolerance for a comprehensive overview of this often puzzling health phenomenon.
While I’ve tried to place each of these symptoms of celiac disease in children in the most appropriate age group, the truth is all of these symptoms can occur at any age. For that reason, here is a more conclusive single list for your reference. You should should also check the lists in my silent celiac disease symptoms and celiac disease symptoms articles.
Read Celiac Disease Symptoms In Children
Sadly, many parents are not even aware that their child has gluten intolerance until the symptoms become more noticeable and severe. If gluten intolerance in children isn’t treated, it can turn serious and cause more stressful symptoms during adolescence and into adulthood.
Gluten allergy symptoms are not easy to diagnose so it is important to be vigilant. Typical gluten intolerance symptoms in children can include weight loss or abdominal distention, diarrhea or constipation and a general failure to thrive and develop normally, but this is only a small list of possible symptoms and they can often be misdiagnosed as something other than gluten intolerance. Along with testing for gluten intolerance or celiac disease one thing you can do on your own is to follow a strict gluten-free diet to see if your child’s symptoms improve.
In most cases an intolerance to gluten can be managed by removing all gluten from your child’s diet. Your child will no longer be able to eat traditional bread products or pastas containing wheat, rye or barley. Spelt must also be avoided. Remember that just because something features a wheat-free label does not make it gluten-free. In some cases you may often need to contact the manufacturers to make sure certain products are completely gluten-free.
Read Gluten Intolerance In Children
We need to increase awareness and understanding of children with Celiac Disease, especially in public environments like their schools.
My sister works in a child care facility, and one of the more disturbing trends I hear about is how so many employees and parents of non-Celiac children don’t appreciate the severity of Celiac Disease symptoms. It is almost as if children with Celiac Disease are a nuisance to them.
“Oh gosh, we have to make special pancakes for the Celiac child — woa is us!”
I understand why this happens; it’s a familiar phenomenon for anyone suffering from a relatively unknown health condition, and unfortunately it may even be a familiar phenomenon for those of us just dealing with the pubic in general.
But I do hope more individuals will grow to appreciate the seriousness of gluten allergy symptoms, especially in our children.
Read Children With Celiac Disease
