Celiac Disease: Part 1

What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is a hereditary autoimmune disease that damages the villi of the small intestine via the consumption and digestion of gluten. 

(Celiac Disease Foundation) 

Key  Terms

• Hereditary- it is passed in genes through families
• Autoimmune disease- the body produces antibodies that destroy its own cells
• Villi- small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine.
• Gluten- protein found in wheat, rye, barley, etc. It helps food maintain shape. Often found in breads, pastas, sauces, cereals, beer and baking goods. 

This video gives a good summary of the external and internal factors that go into the condition:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJgjxTrFSRs

Picture this:    

 Kayla is 13 years old. A few months ago her parents sent her off to her first day of eighth grade with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a banana, and some juice. After lunch, Kayla ran to the bathroom complaining of a stomach ache. It is was so bad that she had to call her parents. They picked her up and chalked it up to first day of school nerves. The rest of that first week of school her parents packed her the same lunch and intermittently for dinner throughout the week she and her family ate pasta, bread, and even cookies as dessert. Kayla's stomach pains escalated to chronic diarrhea and abdominal swelling. She couldn't seem to focus in school and her parents turned to analyzing her diet. They were very confused because they hadn't made any drastic changes to her diet and think it may be a part of puberty. 

Stay tuned to see how her parents address this issue with Kayla's pediatrician.