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Wheat Gluten Disease - Celiac

While some children may experience an allergy to foods that contain wheat gluten, a rare number of children actually develop Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is a wheat gluten intolerance disease that is more common in Western countries, but does occur in other areas including the United States, and usually occurs first in children between 6 and 24 months of age.

The symptoms of Celiac Disease include…

• Mal-absorption

• Impaired growth

• Abnormal stools

• Abdominal pain

• Poor muscle tone

• Poor appetite

• Irritability

Sometimes these symptoms are misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but with further testing and diet elimination tests, Celiac Disease is usually found to be the cause of the allergy.

There is no medication treatment for this disease so the only course of action that totally relieves the symptoms is adopting a diet that is free of gluten.

Along with a diet change, some parents choose to enroll their children in counseling or therapy. Wheat gluten allergies can lead to the development of poor social skills since most birthday parties and children's activities revolve around gluten-laden treats such as cake and baked goods. Children who are unable to eat these treats are either kept from the gatherings all together or are inclined to feel left out as the other children enjoy the festivities.

If children with Celiac Disease continue to consume products that contain gluten it can lead to permanent damage of the intestinal tract. Plus, since they will be unable to absorb the nutrients from foods that are eaten with gluten, they could suffer from malnutrition.

Parents of children with Celiac Disease usually need to consult a dietician for a list of foods that will be safe for their child to eat. Health food stores also offer a wide selection of gluten free products. Many bookstores also carry cookbooks dedicated to gluten free recipes.

If you still want your child to be able to enjoy such foods as bread, especially to help them fit in when bringing a school sack lunch, you can purchase a bread machine and make your own gluten free bread out of almond flour, white rice flour, brown rice flour or soy flour.


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