One common reason for visiting Gastroenterology Consultants of Central Florida is for the treatment of celiac disease. Adult and children patients usually experience various symptoms. For adults, the most common symptoms are diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue. Adults may also experience bloating, gas, and constipation, which leads to nausea or vomiting.
Because more than half of the adults with celiac disease experience symptoms unrelated to the digestive system, it is important to be informed on these. Anemia is an unexpected sign to most as a result of iron deficiency. Also, the lack of nutrition can cause osteoporosis, loss of bone density.
Similarly, there may be damage to dental enamel or appearance of mouth ulcers. Softening of bones called osteomalacia and joint pain point to celiac disease as well.
Symptoms a child may have:
In children, it is very important to treat celiac disease because malabsorption affects growth and development as well as cause adult-like symptoms mentioned above. In children under two, there may be chronic diarrhea, vomiting, swollen belly, muscle wasting, failure to thrive, or a poor appetite.
Children over two may experience all of the same symptoms as children under two. Additionally, they may have delayed puberty and more serious effects. If your child has ADHD or trouble focusing, they may be neurologic symptoms. Look out for headaches, lack of coordination, and even seizures as these are all signs to be tested for celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and impedes with the absorption of vital nutrients from food. Unfortunately, you cannot “grow out” of it.
Those who suffer with the disease cannot tolerate the gluten protein, which is found in much of the food we eat. Such as most breads, pasta, baked goods, cereals, and so much more.
When someone with this disease eats food containing gluten, the “body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage to the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body, “ Celiac Disease Foundation.
Symptoms of celiac disease
Celiac disease isn’t always easy to diagnose since it has over 200 symptoms. Some of which occur in the digestive system, while others occur elsewhere in the body. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, the most common symptoms include:
abdominal bloating and pain
chronic diarrhea or constipation, pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool
iron-deficiency anemia, weight loss and fatigue
irritability and behavioral issues
dental enamel defects of the permanent teeth
delayed growth and puberty, short stature or failure to thrive
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Untreated Celiac Disease
Untreated celiac disease can lead to the development of other autoimmune disorders like Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS), and many other conditions, including dermatitis herpetiformis (an itchy skin rash), anemia, osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage, neurological conditions like epilepsy and migraines, short stature, heart disease and intestinal cancers.
You don’t have to live with stomach pain, bloating, and diarrhea, contact Gastroenterology Consultants of Central Florida to relieve your pain. Live your life free of stomach pains.