Talking to Your Family About Celiac Disease

Talking to Family about Celiac Disease

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       After being diagnosed with celiac disease, it's easy to feel alone in the matter. All of a sudden, you have to give up so many foods that you've always loved, while everyone else gets to go on with their lives eating all the bread and pasta their hearts desire. However, you are not alone. Your family members play a crucial role in your condition. First of all, you can tell them how to help you manage your gluten intolerance. Second of all, your first- and second-degree family members actually have a significant chance of having celiac disease, as well, and it is important that you encourage them to get tested, and pay attention to any symptoms. 

      It's important to explain celiac disease to your family members, so that they can help you make healthy choices for yourself. Tell them something like, "Being gluten-free is somewhat like a food allergy -- I cannot eat food containing gluten, or I will get sick." Explain to them that gluten-containing foods are bread, spaghetti, and even some beer, among countless other foods that contain gluten. Make sure you explain to them that sometimes, gluten-containing ingredients can "sneak" into food items that seem safe, on the surface. Tell your friends and family about how foods can be contaminated with gluten, and they can help you have a more watchful eye on what you eat! Explain to them that if something containing gluten even touches your food, that you can become sick, so you have to be extremely careful. Explaining your condition in this thorough and helpful way to a friend or family member can help them to help you manage it effectively (Celiac Central). 

Process of determining a celiac disease diagnosis.

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      Additionally, it is important to recognize, and to help your family members recognize, that not only are you diagnosed with celiac disease, but they are also at risk, because they are a close relative to you, and celiac disease tends to run in families. 1 in 22 first-degree family members (such as a parent, brother, sister, or child), and 1 in 39 second-degree family members (such as an aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, granddaughter or grandson) are at risk for celiac disease (Celiac Central). A simple genetic test, called a H.L.A. DQ2/DQ8 test, can be given to see if an individual possesses the genes necessary to have celiac disease. If positive for these genes, the individual should look into a blood test to further see if the individual is affected. It is important to encourage family members to get tested for celiac disease, so that if they do have it, they can stop eating gluten immediately as to not cause further damage to their small intestine (NY Times). 

Resources:

National Foundation for Celiac Disease Awareness. (n.d.). Talking to Your Friends. Retrieved June 5, 2014, from http://www.celiaccentral.org/kids/talking-to-friends/

Genetic Testing for Celiac Disease. (n.d.). Consults Genetic Testing for Celiac Disease Comments. Retrieved June 5, 2014, from http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/genetic-testing-for-celiac-disease/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0