La celiac disease is a ‘permanent intolerance to glutena substance present in various cereals, such as wheat, barley, rye, spelled and kamut. Its spread is increasing. According to Ministry of Health, in 2019 in Italy the number of celiacs reached 225,418. Of these, 158,107 are female and 67,311 are male. It is estimated affects 1% of the populationbut only a third received the diagnosis. To raise awareness of this disease, the World Celiac Day is celebrated on 16 May. Particular attention is paid to the little ones. Because early diagnosis can make a difference.
Celiac disease: women are more affected
According to the Ministry of Health: «Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, with a genetic basis, which it mainly affects the female population and goes wild when the immune systemappointed to defend the organism from bacteria, viruses and other enemies, by mistake it begins to attack both gluten and tissue trans-glutaminase present in the body’s cells. The immune response in women is particularly fast and aggressive, probably because the female immune system has selected and sensitized itself towards infectious agents in order to cope with post-partum infections.
The tip of the iceberg
Almost 400,000 patients do not yet know they are celiac. Celiac disease, in fact, is largely submerged, like an iceberg of which only the tip emerges. Many they do not recognize symptoms or have no complaints. And this delays the diagnosis. Often the disease manifests itself at a young age. Therefore, whether a child or a teenager accuses, at school or at home, a disorder that could make you think of celiac disease, you have to contact the family pediatrician and report everything. Instead, avoid do-it-yourself diagnoses: it is a task for the specialist pediatrician. The diagnosis is made at the end of a diagnostic process that involves a team of doctors with different specializations.
Celiac disease: the symptoms
Stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea after eating they are typical symptoms of celiac disease. As well as one short stature and excessive thinness they may indicate the presence of the disease. Even bad mood and lack of energy they can be caused by intolerance. Other manifestations then, they emerge only with specialized examinations. Given the multiplicity of symptoms, common to the most common diseases, celiac disease it can be difficult to recognize. It is therefore important not to rule it out as their cause. Fundamental is one greater attention of families who, in the face of the slightest suspicion, must report it to the pediatrician or general practitioner.
When it affects children
The difficulty in identifying the “aesthetic” symptoms it is among the causes of the delayed diagnosis, that in children can alter the psychophysical growth and cause other health problems. «The difficulty in recognizing celiac disease may be due to the absence of symptoms, even in risk groups, like the people with diabetes or first degree relatives of celiac people. Then there are “atypical” symptoms, such as changes in dental enamel easily to develop caries, small patches of alopecia or of vitiliginAnd, stains on the nailsuntil skin lesions often misunderstood. Many of these symptoms represent the classic picture of herpetiform dermatitisa condition associated with celiac disease, characterized by papules (lesions) and itchy vesicles on the elbows, but also possible on the knees, at the level of the sacrum, buttocks and occiput “, explains Dr. Angela CalviHead of the Regional Reference Center for celiac disease of theIRCCS of the Gaslini of Genoa.
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