|
 ,
Font size |
IBS in Children: a Future Indicator of Celiac Disease Risk
Researchers from the University of Bari, in Italy, after having evaluated about
a thousand children, found that children who had IBS were
four times more likely to have celiac disease. 270 children in the study had
IBS, and nearly four-and-a-half percent of them were also diagnosed with celiac
disease. This was a sharp
increase in comparison to children without IBS, whose incidence of celiac
disease was barely one percent.
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS,
is a problem that affects mainly the bowel which is also called the large
intestine. The bowel is the part
of the digestive system that makes and stores stool. The word syndrome means a
group of symptoms. IBS is a syndrome because it can cause several symptoms. For
example, IBS causes cramping,bloating,
gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
On the other hand, Celiac disease
is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine
and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food.
One British study found that the chance of having celiac disease was 7 times
higher for patients with IBS than for the general public. In an Iranian study,
nearly 10% of patients with IBS also had celiac disease. In 2009, researchers
from Canada and the U.S. reviewed the results of 14 earlier studies involving
more than 4000 participants, roughly half of whom had IBS. All participants in
the studies were tested for celiac disease. The researchers found that patients
with IBS had a prevalence of celiac disease more than 4 times higher than
participants without IBS.
Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of the protein called gluten, which
is found in wheat, barley and rye. When people with celiac disease eat foods
containing gluten, their immune
system responds by damaging the
finger-like villi of the small intestine. When the villi become damaged, the
body is unable to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, which can lead to
malnourishment. Left untreated, people with celiac disease can develop further
complications such as other autoimmune diseases,osteoporosis, thyroid
disease, and cancer.
Both condition (IBS & Celiac disease) share symptoms
like gas, bloating, aches, diarrhea, constipation, and changes to the look and
consistency of stools. But for celiac disease, there are additional
possible symptoms, including signs and complications ranging from dental
defects to joint pain and osteoporosis.
|
IBS in Children
IBS tends to run in families.
Stress can cause IBS, too. It can
speed up your colon and slow your stomach down. Let's say a kid has a big test
at school the next day and really worries about it, that's stress.
What kids eat can also be a trigger, but this can be different for each kid. For
example, a high-fat diet may bother some kids. Drinks high in sugar may cause
diarrhea in other kids. Eating big meals and spicy foods often cause problems,
so if you have IBS, try to avoid those.
To diagnose celiac disease, physicians will usually test blood to
measure levels of:
-
Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
-
anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA)
-
IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA)
|
Treatment
-
 In children, IBS is treated mainly through dietary changes--eating more fiber and
less fat to help prevent spasms. Fruits, vegetables, and high-fiber foods
like beans and popcorn can help keep a kid's colon running properly.
-
Drinking water can help a cranky colon, too.
-
Bowel training by teaching the child to empty the bowels at regular,
specific times during the day.
-
Medications like laxatives are rarely prescribed because children are
more susceptible to addiction than adults. When laxatives are necessary,
parents must follow the doctor's instructions carefully.
-
Teaching stress management techniques to help children manage stress.
On receiving treatment, the small intestine is usually completely healed in 3 to
6 months in children. In order to stay well, children with celiac disease must
avoid gluten for the rest of their lives. Eating any gluten ( foods that contain
wheat including spelt, triticale, and kamut, rye and barley.), no matter how
small an amount, can damage the small intestine.
Food Triggers
- big meals
- spicy foods
- high-fat foods
- chocolate
- some dairy products like ice cream or cheese
|
Ref:
Dated 30 April 2014
Related Articles
|
