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The information contained in the FAQ below was provided by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA).
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1. What is Celiac Disease?
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2. What are the symptoms of Celiac Disease?
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3. How is Celiac Disease diagnosed?
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4. What are the treatments for Celiac Disease?
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5. What are some diseases related to Celiac?
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What is Celiac Disease? |
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Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. What does this mean?
Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of the protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye.
When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the fingerlike villi of the small intestine. When the villi become damaged, the body is unable to adequately absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, which can lead to malnourishment.
For more information, click the link below:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/What_is_Celiac_/13/
** This information was prepared and assembled by NFCA staff and reviewed by NFCA's Scientific/Medical Advisory Board.
For credential information, please click here.
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What are the symptoms of Celiac Disease? |
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The symptoms of celiac disease vary amongst different people. Some patients develop symptoms early in life, while others feel healthy far into adulthood.
Symptoms of celiac disease may or may not occur in the digestive system. For example, one person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression. In fact, irritability is one of the most common symptoms in children.
For a list of symptoms and more information, click the link below:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/What_is_Celiac_/Symptoms/96/
You may even complete the following symptom check list to determine if you or your child might have celiac disease and print a copy to take to your doctor to discuss:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/What_is_Celiac_/Do_I_Have_Celiac_/278/
** This information was prepared and assembled by NFCA staff and reviewed by NFCA's Scientific/Medical Advisory Board.
For credential information, please click here.
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How is Celiac Disease diagnosed? |
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Accurately diagnosing celiac disease can be quite difficult largely because the symptoms often mimic those of other diseases including irritable bowel syndrome, Chron's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis, intestinal infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression.
To gain a proper diagnosis of celiac disease, a physician will order the following blood tests:
- Total IgA
- IgA antitissue transglutaminase (tTG)
- IgA antiendomysial antibody immunofluorescence (EMA)
- If IgA is deficient, IgG tTG test should also be ordered. At the discretion of the doctor, antigliaden IgG can also be ordered.
For more information, click the link below:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/What_is_Celiac_/Diagnosis/435/
** This information was prepared and assembled by NFCA staff and reviewed by NFCA's Scientific/Medical Advisory Board.
For credential information, please click here.
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What are the treatments for Celiac Disease? |
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The only treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. A gluten-free diet means avoiding all foods that contain wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, triticale, and kamut), rye, and barley.
For more information, click the link below:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/What_is_Celiac_/Treatment/428/
** This information was prepared and assembled by NFCA staff and reviewed by NFCA's Scientific/Medical Advisory Board.
For credential information, please click here.
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What are some diseases related to Celiac? |
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People with Celiac Disease often suffer from other illnesses, such as the following and many others:
- Dermatitis Herpetiformis
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Thyroid Disease
- Infertility
- Osteoporosis/Osteopenia
- Depression
For more information, click the link below:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/What_is_Celiac_/Related_Diseases/98/
** This information was prepared and assembled by NFCA staff and reviewed by NFCA's Scientific/Medical Advisory Board.
For credential information, please click here.
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