Feeding Children With Celiac Disease

Celiac disease affects a large part of the population. For this reason, it is important to know how to deal with this issue nutritionally.

Knowing the management of celiac disease is the best strategy to avoid symptoms related to the disease. For that reason, in this article, we’ll show you everything you need to know about it.

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is a systemic alteration of an autoimmune nature, triggered by the consumption of gluten in individuals with a genetic predisposition.

What is gluten and why does it cause adverse reactions?

Gluten is a complex protein, made up of prolamines, found in cereal grains such as wheat, barley, spelled and rye. Oats also affect some people, although they lack this protein.

These prolamines (gluten fragments) are subdivided into gliadins and glutenins and are the cause of toxicity. The adverse reaction occurs because the immune system of celiac people, when detecting these substances, causes an inflammatory reaction that damages the villi that line the intestinal walls.

The result of this inflammation is a failure in the absorption of nutrients by the digestive tract, with a possible clinical and functional impact, depending on the person’s age and pathophysiological situation.

At what age does celiac disease occur?

Celiac disease can occur at any age and last for a lifetime. Regarding the age of diagnosis, there are two peaks where the number of cases increases: in children between 1 and 3 years old and in adults between 30 and 50 years old.

What are the clinical manifestations?

Clinical manifestations are variable, depending on the age of the individual . Below, we will show a table that indicates the main symptoms and signs that usually manifest themselves, according to the age group:

Celiac Disease Treatment

To avoid the uncomfortable manifestations of this disease, so far, the only reliable and effective treatment is the adoption of a gluten-free diet.

With an eating plan that does not include traces of this protein, improvement in symptoms can be achieved after approximately two weeks on the diet. Furthermore, in about two years of follow-up, recovery of intestinal villi may occur.

As a positive aspect of the onset of the disease in early childhood, we can highlight that children generally accept, follow and adapt to the diet in a simpler and better way than adolescents and adults, as long as the parents assume this task responsibly.

Therefore, it is worth highlighting the importance of establishing good eating habits in children, especially those who have a disease directly related to food.

nutritional recommendations

Below, we’ll look at basic nutritional guidelines to consider when feeding children with celiac disease:

• Do not consume any products made from cereals that contain gluten: wheat, barley, rye and spelled.

• Beware of processed products. Even if it doesn’t seem like it at first glance, many ultra-processed foods can contain flour or other gluten-containing substances. Avoiding them is the best strategy.
• Learn to interpret food labels.
• Be careful in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination. Do not use the same utensils used to prepare foods with gluten, do not use the same oil for frying, etc.
• In restaurants, check for gluten-free dishes and that follow the corresponding hygiene standards to avoid cross contamination.
• Find alternatives to common cereals such as amaranth, quinoa, corn, millet, sorghum and buckwheat.
• In case of lactose intolerance, include lactose-free dairy products or their plant analogues.
• Ensure an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals, through the intake of fruits, vegetables and vegetables.

Finally, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of looking for a professional who facilitates the management of the disease so that it does not represent any barrier to the child’s development, both in physical and social terms.