Celiac disease, also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy (GSE), affects each person differently. One person might experience diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person may become irritable or depressed, especially children.  And some people may exhibit no symptoms at all.  In these cases, the undamaged part of the small intestine can absorb enough nutrients to prevent symptoms. However, people without symptoms are still at risk for some of the complications of celiac disease.

Some people develop celiac disease as children, others as adults.   For all celiac sufferers, hundreds of signs and symptoms can point to celiac disease. Symptoms may or may not occur in the digestive system. For example, infertility or anemia are both symptoms of celiac disease. Symptoms of celiac disease may include one or more of the following:

• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Chronic constipation
• Chronic diarrhea
• Depression
• Delayed puberty
• Dermatitis herpetiformis
• Failure to thrive
• Fatigue
• Iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to iron therapy
• Liver and biliary tract disorders
• Loss of tooth enamel
• Osteopenia or osteoporosis
• Pain in the joints
• Pale, foul-smelling stool
• Pale sores inside the mouth
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Recurring abdominal bloating and pain
• Short stature
• Tingling numbness in the legs
• Tooth discoloration
• Unexplained infertility
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Weakness

Celiac symptoms in children
Children tend to exhibit classic signs of celiac disease, including growth problems chronic diarrhea or constipation, recurring abdominal bloating and pain, fatigue and irritability.

Celiac symptoms in adults
Adults tend to have symptoms that are not entirely gastrointestinal in nature. Recent research has demonstrated that only a third of adult patients diagnosed with celiac disease experience diarrhea. Weight loss is also not a common sign. The most common sign of celiac disease in adults is iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to iron therapy.

When to seek help
If you think that you or your child may have celiac disease, watchful waiting is appropriate if mild symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting last only for a few days. Talk with a doctor if diarrhea continues or if weight gain seems to be a problem, even with a healthy appetite.   You can then consult a doctor who specializes in problems with the digestive system (gastroenterologist), consulted to confirm or exclude a celiac disease diagnosis.   If you are asking yourself - Do I have celiac disease ? keep reading here.