Celiac Disease

Hello Anonymous

Celiac disease is considered one of the most common chronic diseases in children. It is estimated that more than 1% of children have it, but the prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa is thought to be much higher, at around 5%.

People with celiac are more likely to have other autoimmune issues than the general population; they are also more likely to have neurological problems ranging from neuropathy to seizures. However, it is thought that dietary restrictions can help prevent a lot of these complications.

We have info on celiac: https://www.empowher.com/condition/celiac-disease. Another good source of information and statistics is Medscape. You have to register but it is free. There is a fair amount of jargon but you can probably sort most of it out or if you have further questions we'd be happy to help you here. I looked at two articles there, here are the links: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/709198 and http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/932104-overview.

Another resource is the Celiac Disease Foundation at http://www.celiac.org/. Good luck to you and your child.

Congratulations on your adoption! Thank you for writing, and if we can help further please do not hesitate to let us know.