If you have Celiac Disease then you probably already know that your baby may be at a higher risk of developing symptoms of gluten intolerance as well. Some argue that early screening is important for infants and children who are at risk of developing symptoms of the disease, but even if a child tests positive for Celiac they may never develop any symptoms. Because of this it’s important to gauge your child’s physiological response should you introduce gluten in their diet.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease in Babies
While Celiac Disease now tends to present more in people age 10 to 40, in the past it has presented in infants who experience either malabsorption or failure to thrive. While these symptoms are very general, and can indicate a number of health problems, if your baby has Celiac then this could be a strong indicator that they have started to develop symptoms.
Babies from 6 to 24 months often present with symptoms similar to symptoms found in adults with Celiac, but these symptoms are usually more dramatic in infants. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, the following symptoms may be present.
- abdominal bloating and pain
- chronic diarrhea
- pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool
If your baby presents with any of these symptoms, then ask your doctor about screening.
There are many possible non-gastrointestinal symptoms of Celiac Disease. Many of these would need to be observed outside of a clinic. Some of these symptoms that are found in children with Celiac include weight loss, fatigue, irritability and behavioral issues, dental enamel defects of the permanent teeth, delayed growth and puberty, short stature, and/or failure to thrive
If you do screen your child and they test positive for Celiac Disease then it’s possible that they will never develop any symptoms, and will have no problems eating foods that contain gluten. It’s important, however, to try and catch any occurrence of symptoms early so that you can cut gluten out of your baby’s diet so that they can be happy and healthy.