Hey readers! 👋
This week's roundup is packed with practical resources for families navigating celiac disease with children, plus some fascinating research that might change how we think about everything from kidney health to chronic hives. We've also got news on AI tools that could make grocery shopping less stressful, and a deep dive into why your gut bacteria might be more influenced by your genes than you realized. Let's dig in!
🧒 Pediatric Focus: What Parents Need to Know
Celiac-Safe School Lunch Hacks from the Canadian Celiac Association offers timely guidance as families settle into school routines. – Canadian Celiac Association
Celiac Disease in Children provides a comprehensive overview of how symptoms vary by age group, from vomiting and poor growth in infants to abdominal pain in school-age kids and even skin rashes in teens. The Celiac Disease Foundation emphasizes that early testing is essential, particularly for children with a family history or related conditions like type 1 diabetes. – Celiac Disease Foundation
"Most children feel significantly better after two weeks on the diet and attain normal height, weight, and bone health."
Treating Celiac Disease in Children from UMass Memorial Health reinforces that a strict gluten-free diet remains the only effective treatment. The guide stresses family involvement, careful food preparation, and regular medical check-ups with antibody testing. – UMass Memorial Health
For families seeking additional support, Children's National Hospital's Family Resources offers downloadable handouts, educational videos, and a dedicated gluten-free diet app. – Children's National Hospital
📚 New Tools for Education and Knowledge
A newly validated Celiac Disease Knowledge questionnaire (CD-Know) specifically designed for children shows promising results. The 15-item tool demonstrated strong reliability, and importantly, higher knowledge scores correlated with better adherence to a gluten-free diet. This gives healthcare providers a practical way to identify knowledge gaps and tailor educational interventions. – International CD Experts
"The CD-Know score of children with CD was positively associated with their adherence level to a gluten-free diet."
Ep 351: Talking to Kids about Celiac Disease features Registered Dietitian Nicole Byrom sharing practical advice on discussing celiac disease with children. The conversation covers three scenarios - a parent's diagnosis, a child's diagnosis, and a sibling's diagnosis - with age-appropriate strategies for different developmental stages. – A Canadian Celiac Blog
🔬 Research Updates
Kidney Health Connection
How Celiac Disease Can Affect the Kidneys in Children highlights an often-overlooked connection. A literature review found that kidney involvement, particularly IgA nephropathy, is under-recognized in pediatric celiac patients and can progress silently. The authors call for standardized screening protocols, including routine urine and blood tests. – Celiac.com
"Early diagnosis and strict dietary adherence may reduce systemic inflammation and improve nutritional absorption, which may help protect kidney health."
Unexpected Presentations
A fascinating case report on chronic urticaria documents a child whose only celiac symptoms were chronic hives and angioedema - no digestive issues at all. The symptoms resolved rapidly after starting a gluten-free diet. The accompanying review found that celiac disease is more common among chronic urticaria patients than in the general population, yet current guidelines don't recommend routine screening. Something to consider if you're dealing with unexplained skin issues. – Journal of Clinical Medicine
BMI Trends in Children
A large Italian study of nearly 5,000 children newly diagnosed with celiac disease found that while most were normal weight at diagnosis, 18.1% were overweight or obese. After 12-18 months on a gluten-free diet, over half of underweight children achieved normal weight, but only about a quarter of overweight children did. Interestingly, about 11% of initially normal-weight children became overweight or obese on the diet - a reminder that nutritional counseling matters for everyone. – PubMed
Pancreatitis Risk
Swedish researchers tracking over 57,000 celiac patients found a 42% higher long-term risk of acute pancreatitis compared to controls. The increased risk applied to gallstone-related and non-gallstone-related pancreatitis, but notably not to alcohol-related cases. Clinicians should counsel patients about risk factors and monitor accordingly. – Journal of Internal Medicine
🧬 Genetics and the Gut Microbiome
Two significant studies shed light on the genetic-microbiome connection:
Eleven Genetic Variants Affect Gut Microbiome reports on research involving over 28,000 participants that identified 11 genetic regions influencing gut bacterial composition - up from just two previously known. Several of these genetic loci are associated with gluten intolerance, suggesting genetic predispositions may shape disease risk through alterations in gut bacteria. – Today's Dietitian
The HUNT study from Norway confirmed these findings and identified novel genetic loci including HLA-DQB1 (familiar to anyone who's had celiac genetic testing). Follow-up analyses suggested these host-microbiota associations may contribute to celiac disease pathogenesis. – Nature Communications
📱 Technology and Practical Tools
An AI-powered smartphone application for identifying gluten-free foods achieved 99% accuracy at the product level and 99.8% at the ingredient level in a recent study. Perhaps most striking: only 37.5% of products deemed gluten-free by dietitians actually carried a gluten-free label, highlighting the labeling inconsistencies that make shopping so challenging. – American College of Gastroenterology
🎙️ Worth a Listen
Episode 38: Can You Eat Wheat in Europe? tackles the persistent question of why some people seem to tolerate wheat abroad but not at home. Host Jenny Finke and RD Molly Winsten discuss differences in wheat varieties, sourdough fermentation, farming practices, and the risks of testing wheat while traveling. – Good For You Gluten Free
🔬 Ongoing Research to Watch
The McMaster Celiac Clinic has several active studies, including tryptophan supplementation for symptom control, zinc-optimized diets versus supplements, and the ILLUMINATE TAK-101 trial evaluating a medication designed to reduce the immune response to gluten. – McMaster Celiac Clinic
Pediatric guidelines from Argentina outline comprehensive management recommendations, emphasizing multidisciplinary care coordination among gastroenterologists, pediatricians, dietitians, and primary-care providers. – Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría
📅 Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars for Uncovering the Base of the Celiac Iceberg on March 18. This virtual webinar will feature Dr. Carlo Catassi discussing Italy's upcoming mass screening program for children, plus insights on advancing from case finding to universal screening. CEUs available for healthcare professionals. – National Celiac Association
🍽️ Community Spotlight
A Reddit user shared their first experience at Ugly Dumpling in London, a restaurant with dedicated gluten-free practices. The variety of fillings - from prawn and chive to American cheeseburger to Nutella dessert dumplings - sounds worth the trip if you're in the area. – r/glutenfree
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