Signs of coeliac disease

BUNDABERG mother Nicole Blackley is encouraging parents to pay attention to their children's health in the hopes of raising awareness about coeliac disease.

BUNDABERG mother Nicole Blackley is encouraging parents to pay attention to their children’s health in the hopes of raising awareness about coeliac disease.

Mrs Blackley’s four-year-old daughter, Sophie, was diagnosed with the disease after her parents picked up the subtle signs.

“From the age of about two, Sophie used to get nagging tummy aches that came and went,” Mrs Blackley said.

“They were quite intermittent and she seemed very happy and healthy otherwise, so we never worried too much about it. The only other thing we noticed was that she had ridges in her nails.”

As she got older, Sophie’s tummy aches continued, but then she started to develop the odd mouth ulcer.

“That rang alarm bells for me and my husband, because he is a coeliac and that used to happen to him too,” Mrs Blackley said.

“So even though she looked perfectly well, I insisted on having her tested for coeliac disease. I’m so glad I did because she was diagnosed as having the condition as well, and it’s very important that kids are diagnosed as early as possible.”

Paediatric gastroenterologist associate professor Don Cameron is an adviser to the Coeliac Research Fund and the Coeliac Society, and said there was an urgent need to raise public awareness about the disease in children.

“Although it is very common, it is often not diagnosed and can result in severe health complications in later life if it is not treated properly,” he said.

Coeliac disease is caused by a total intolerance to gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, oats and rye. Coeliacs are unable to properly process the food they eat, starving their bodies of essential nutrients.

It is a lifelong condition and the only treatment is to follow a strict gluten-free diet under medical supervision.

For a free brochure on coeliac disease in children, or more information about coeliac disease in adults, telephone the Coeliac Awareness Hotline on 1300 273 272.

Originally published as Signs of coeliac disease