Coeliac disease in childhood

doi:10.1136/bmj.a3066

Published 19 February 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.a3066
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:a3066

Practice

A Patient’s Journey

Coeliac disease in childhood

Henry W M Willis, patient¹, Nichola M Willis, Henry’s mother¹, George W Willis, Henry’s father¹, Faisal R Ali, foundation year 2 doctor ², Colin Ball, consultant paediatrician²

¹ London , ² Department of Child Health, King’s College Hospital, London SE5 9RS

Correspondence to: Dr F R Ali f.r.ali.01@cantab.net

doi:10.1136/bmj.b380doi:10.1136/bmj.b491doi:10.1136/bmj.a3058

An 11 year old boy explains how coeliac disease affects him,and his parents tell of the obstacles to the diagnosis

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

I don’t remember ever not having coeliac disease—myearliest memories of it are when I was in hospital and the staffgave me Jaffa cakes to eat before I was diagnosed and when Iplayed with Lego while I was having a blood transfusion.

My nursery report says I said to my teacher after returningfrom being diagnosed, "I can’t eat cup cakes anymore"so I guess I understood what had happened.

It is annoying not being able to eat cake and other foods atbirthday parties and other celebrations, but most of the timeI don’t feel any different from other children. My primaryschool won’t cook me a gluten-free lunch and has stoppedletting me take a flask of hot soup in my lunch box, which Imiss. I hope by the time I am older there will be more gluten-freefoods like doughnuts. Bakeries smell so good. . . . [Full text of this article]

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