Celiac disease is a disorder which results as a consequence of intolerance to gluten. It is also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, celiac spruce and non-tropical spruce. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and other grains related to them. Among babies, infants and kids, this disease can be due to family history. Children having such problem will face the gluten damages villi and finger like projection in small intestine. Due to this there is absorption in nutrients from food. When the villi get damaged, the body fails to absorb nutrients which are needed for the growth. Due to this child can become malnourished.
Causes
The exact cause of this problem is not yet known. However, most of the doctors have discovered that this problem can be due to some family history. If the family member is diagnosed with such diseases then there are high chances for babies or infants to get such problem in future. According to studies made, some gene mutations can increase the risk of this disease. But if your kids have such mutation it does not mean that your kid will obviously develop this problem. This means that other risk factors also play an important role in causing this problem.
Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of celiac disease depend on the degree of Mal-absorption. It can vary among individuals. Some can face few symptoms while others can face mild symptoms. The reason of these signs and symptoms can be due to Mal-absorption or due to malnutrition which involves minerals and vitamins deficiencies. Among infants and children problem of digestive system is common which can include:
- Weight loss
- Pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool
- Abdominal bloating and pain
- Vomiting
- Chronic diarrhea
- Constipation
The very first sign among babies if having this problem can occur in short time soon after having solid food like cereals. An infant who consume food containing gluten will have high chances of stomach pains, diarrhea and will not gain more weight which is necessary for healthy living.
Growth and Weight
This disease can greatly affect the baby’s growth. Some symptoms can be weight loss, thinning bones, stunted growth and anemia. Usually the growth gets affected as babies fail to consume nutrients like protein, vitamins, fats and minerals. It is advised to immediately take your child to the doctor if you notice weight loss or some kind of weakness.
Skin Rashes
Your baby will get the skin rashes around elbows, knees and buttocks. Child will also develop the problem of mouth soreness and anemia and will become irritable.
Babies Susceptible to Celiac Disease
As Celiac disease is autoimmune disease, babies having family history can get this problem as a result of genetic predisposition to the disease. Hence they need to be monitored for signs and symptoms. Other than predisposition, babies having Turner syndrome, anemia and Down syndrome problem can have high risk of getting this disease. If babies are bottle-fed they also have the high risk of getting this problem as most of formulas contain wheat.
Irritation
This is another common sign in children if they have this problem. It can affect the growth and development and result in problems like delayed growth and short stature, failure to thrive in infants, dental enamel defects and delayed puberty.
Abdominal Pain and Bloating
The symptoms and sign of this disease can be multitude of abdominal problems. Babies can experience the problem of abdominal pain, vomiting, bloating once they eat food which contains gluten products.
Taking Doctors Advice
If you find any of the above mentioned advice in your baby then it means your baby needs medical attention. Make a visit to your doctor immediately. If any family member has this problem, talk to the doctor on it and know whether you are at the risk of getting this disease. Depending on the situation, doctors will advice some tests if such disease is due to the family history.
Other than this, you must be careful if your child is pale, fails to grow, irritated and have foul smelling stools. It is always better to confirm form your doctor as some signs can be reason of other disease as well.
