Has the child stopped growing tall and growing hair?

This could be a sign of celiac disease

For every diagnosed celiac case, there are more than 7 undiagnosed ones.

Yifat Jacques' daughter was also almost an undiagnosed case, until she began to notice some suspicious signs, which every parent should recognize.

This is her story

Ifat Jacques

09/15/2022

Thursday, September 15, 2022, 08:22

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Be attentive to your children.

A girl suffering from stomach pains (Photo: ShutterStock)

When my daughter Alma (13) was five and a half years old she was diagnosed with celiac disease.

The diagnosis was preceded by many months, during which Alma was often absent from kindergarten due to recurring stomachaches and headaches, for which no physical cause was found.

And I, like most parents whose children often complain about one kind of pain or another, I tended to think that it was probably an indulgence and an attempt to attract attention or a passing point pain.

At that time I was a student of nutrition studies, and during my studies, one of the subjects we dealt with was celiac disease.

When we came to talk about the symptoms of the disease, I began to relate the material being studied to what I recognize from my daughter at home, with the peak being in regards to the well-known symptom of growth retardation.

Suddenly I realized that Alma has been wearing the same shoe size for a long time and all her friends, her age, have long since outgrown her size.

At the same time I noticed that since she had her hair cut recently, her hair had not grown back.

In addition to these, Alma suffered from many aphthous ulcers in the oral cavity, a less well-known feature of the disease, but certainly one of the many symptoms that can hint at celiac disease.

This is also a symptom that can indicate celiac disease.

Aphtha in the mouth (Photo: ShutterStock)

The warning lights that started flashing for me got stronger as I delved into the study material, and led me to the family doctor.

When I shared my suspicion with her we decided to go for a celiac diagnosis by doing a simple blood test.

The test results indicated higher than normal indices, after which we were sent for additional gastro tests, which also indicated the existence of intestinal inflammation caused by celiac disease.

After the initial shock, we started adapting the house to Alma with gluten-free products, and we soon realized that the breast is not that bad, and Alma can lead a normal life and live a full life, alongside the new nutritional awareness.

Celiac disease can appear at any age - and can be very confusing

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the small intestine with multi-systemic consequences, which can appear at any age and this after the start of exposure to gluten.

Celiac disease can appear without any symptoms at all and therefore earned the nickname "the disease with a thousand faces", with only mild symptoms, up to severe symptoms that include diarrhea, a swollen stomach, malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies.

It is estimated that 1 percent of the population has celiac disease, and for every diagnosed case of celiac disease there are more than 7 undiagnosed cases, so it is important to pay attention to the signs and not to ignore your child's repeated complaints.

Untreated celiac disease may produce long-term consequences, including: damage to bones, damage to fertility, developmental problems and more.

The earlier the diagnosis of the disease is made, and accordingly the nutritional adjustment, the symptoms can be overcome and one can live with celiac disease in peace even up to the age of 120. It is also important to know that the diagnosis and prescribing of treatment should be done by a medical and nutritional team that is familiar with celiac disease.

More in Walla!

The number of children sensitive to gluten has doubled in the last 25 years

To the full article

After graduating, I started working in the profession of nutrition, and about 4 years ago I started working as a clinical dietitian at the Institute of Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases at the Schneider Center.

As part of my role, I handle many cases of families with children diagnosed with celiac disease, to whom I help to adapt a proper diet that will maintain their health.

I share with my patients about being the mother of a girl with celiac disease, and there is no doubt that my personal experience on the professional side provides added value for my patients, and is an advantage in the interpersonal encounter that goes beyond the medical interaction.

• health

• parenthood

• child's health

Tags

• Celiac disease

• height

• apatite

• Abdominal pain

• diet