Simply put, celiac disease is an absorption disease that occurs when the body is unable to digest gluten and has an autoimmune response (Green & Jones, 2010, p.2, 19). Gluten is one of the many different proteins found in large quantities in wheat and other members of the triticum family - durum wheat, kamut, spelt, and einkorn. Barley and rye have a close relation with the triticum family and also contain gluten (Wangen, 2009, p.26).
In order to have celiac disease, one must have villous atrophy. The best way to diagnose for celiac is from a biopsy taken during an endoscopy (Green & Jones, 2010, p.43). It is also possible to diagnose celiac through a blood test; although, a follow-up biopsy will …show more content…
Celiac is different from a wheat allergy or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, a reaction to gluten but without intestinal damage (Lowell, 2015, p.18). It is estimated that 1 in 100 people have celiac disease in the world (What is Celiac Disease). That means that one percent of the population or three million people in the United States have celiac disease and 83% are currently undiagnosed (Celiac disease facts & figures). Plus, in the past fifty years, there has been a quadruple increase in diagnoses (Lowell, 2015, …show more content…
Children tend to have more digestive issues than adults (Celiac disease symptoms). The typical symptoms for children include: abdominal bloating and pain; chronic diarrhea; vomiting; constipation; pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool; weight loss; fatigue; irritability and behavioral issues; dental enamel defects of the permanent teeth; delayed growth and puberty; short stature; failure to thrive; and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Celiac disease symptoms). The usual symptoms for adults include: unexplained iron-deficiency anemia; fatigue; bone or joint pain; arthritis; bone loss or osteoporosis; depression or anxiety; tingling numbness in the hands and feet; seizures or migraines; missed menstrual periods; infertility or recurrent miscarriage; canker sores inside the mouth; and an itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis (Celiac disease