 Have you or someone you know just been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. It is a myth that Indians rarely have this disease. I know from my own experience that this view delayed the diagnosis for my daughter and this put her health at risk.
She presented with symptoms at the age of 2 years and was 4 by the time the diagnosis was made
Our Love of Food
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| Enjoying food is an established part of all culture. So what do you do when Roti endangers your life.?
Food is such a big part of our lives; whether we are meeting friends for lunch, going to the cinema, attending a business breakfast, having a picnic, flying on an airplane, travelling, baking at school or .........as it was for Amrit bonding with her Naniji over a hot tawa making her favourite chappatis.
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What are the signs?
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My only concern and sign for my 4 year old Amrit was her ongoing constipation. I was convinced her diet was causing this and it took almost a year to convince the doctors and for them to run a simple anti-TTG blood test. That was positive and then came the Endoscopy which too was positive.
After speaking with other parents I now know that her 'Buddha' belly was not normal - at the time even the Doctors remarked how cute it was !!
She had no other symptoms of being ill and certainly not what the many websites are suggesting as typical symptons of Coeliac Disease. I have now learnt that not many people actually have any symptoms, yet undetected the damages continues.
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To find out how we cope read my blog;
www.theindiancoeliac.co.uk/blog
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Dealing with the Diagnosis
Coeliac Disease is not just about what you can and cannot eat. It affects every aspect of your life.
If you let it, Coeliac Disease can negatively affect your confidence, your social skills, your eating habits, your budget and your health.
I am determined to make sure that Amrit continues to be my happy, easy going, cheeky little girl. She is learning that she cannot eat a lot of the foods that she did before her diagnosis and sometimes this makes her sad.
She now has her Gluten Free (or Three, as she pronounces it) foods that will ensure she has a healthy and varied diet at home. Eating food outside the home, ensuring that we avoid cross contamination is still a challenge.
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