Happy Celiac Disease Awareness Month!! (Part 1)

Happy Celiac Disease Awareness Month!!  For those of you new to my blog, I have Celiac Disease.  I was diagnosed in June, 2013. 

What is Celiac Disease?  It is an autoimmune disorder.  The ingestion of gluten leads to damage of the small intestine.  1 in 100 people worldwide is affected.  There are 2 and one half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.  {Information from HERE}

If you have Celiac Disease, the risk for your family members to have it increases.

1 in 22 people with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have celiac disease. 

1 in 39 people with a second-degree relative with celiac disease (aunt, uncle, cousin) have it too.
{Information from HERE}

Ethan had a lot of these symptoms when he was a little over a year.  Once we put him on regular food and milk, Ethan had 10 of those symptoms, but his bloodwork was negative for Celiac Disease.  He was put on Miralax 2 different times.  The second time I follow it to the T and wrote EVERYTHING down for the doctor.  I showed her what we were doing.  I finally had her put him onto a gluten free diet.   Ethan was diagnosed with Gluten Intolerance.  I fought hard for Ethan.  All the GI doctor wanted to do was Miralax.  The poor kid was on it a year.  I did not want him to be on it.

Children's Symptoms:

-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

-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

For me, my symptoms were the first 3, tingling numbness in the hands and feet, migraines, but there are a lot more symptoms than I have listed here.  This is a good website for more information.  Click HERE.

Adult's Symptoms:

-Adults are less likely to have digestive symptoms, with only one-third experiencing diarrhea.  
Adults are more likely to have:

-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

-itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis

{Symptoms Information from HERE}

I am going to do a second post.  There is more I want to say.  Like where I buy our gluten free items, but I wanted to touch base with What is Celiac Disease before I did anything else.
Melissa