Coeliac Disease -the symptoms
The symptoms of coeliac disease
Who does it affect?
Coeliac disease can affect men and women of all ages, and can sometimes start in infancy, during weaning. However, it is most frequently diagnosed in adults between the ages of 30 and 70.The condition can also run in families and is more likely to occur in people who have other autoimmune conditions such as Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease or liver disease.
Other key facts about coeliac disease
- It is estimated that one in 100 people in the UK may have coeliac disease.
- It is thought that only one in eight individuals with coeliac disease are actually diagnosed.
- There are specific groups who have an increased risk of developing coeliac disease
Coeliac Disease Symptoms
The symptoms of coeliac disease can vary widely from person to person. Some people can experience more unpleasant symptoms than others, some may only have mild and non-specific symptoms such as iron-deficiency anaemia, general fatigue etc and some people may not experience any symptoms at all!Possible symptoms may include:
• Diarrhoea, excessive wind and/or constipation
• Persistent or unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomitting
• Regular stomach pain, cramping or bloating
• Iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency
• Tiredness and/or headaches
• Weightloss (in some cases)
• Hair loss
• Skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)
• Tooth enamel problems
• Osteoporosis
• Depression
• Infertility
• Join and/or bone pain
• Neurological (nerve) problems such as ataxia (poor muscle co-ordination) and neuropathy (numbness and tingling in the hands and feet)
Some of these symptoms are commonly mistaken as symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) but the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidline on IBS states that GPs have to exclude a diagnosis of coeliac disease before they diagnose IBS. If you are having a test for coeliac disease you must make sure you have eaten gluten products such as bread in your diet for at least 6 weeks or the results will be affected.
Symptoms in children
In babies, the below symptoms may occur after weaning onto cereals which contain gluten.
Symptoms in young children include:
• Muscle wasting in the arms and legs
• Bloated tummy
• Irritability
• Failure to gain weight or lose weight after previously growing well
• Stunted growth
Symptoms in older children vary as they do in adults.
Specific groups of people who have an increased risk of coeliac disease
These groups include:• If you have a close family member (e.g. parents, siblings or children) who has coeliac disease the risk increases to one in ten.
• People with Type 1 diabetes
• People who have Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• People who have autoimmune thyroid disease
• People who have anaemia
• People with neurological disorders
• Associated chromosomal disorders e.g. Down’s Syndrome
