fbpx
coeliac disease and children

Will my children have coeliac disease too?

If you, your partner, or one of your children has coeliac disease, you may be worried about the rest of your family. If you’re been wondering about the likelihood of your children, or their siblings, developing coeliac disease’, here’s what you need to know… The odds are in your favour! If your child’s parent or … Read more

Coeliac genes NZ

The coeliac genes

Coeliac disease has a hereditary component, which is why you’re more likely to develop coeliac disease if you have family members with the condition. More than 99% of people with coeliac disease have either the HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 gene (or parts of them), but these genes aren’t rare – in fact, around 30% of the … Read more

Coeliac disease testing

The gluten challenge

A blood antibody test, ordered by your GP, is the first step in working out whether or not you have coeliac disease. If this is positive, you’ll be referred to a gastroenterologist, who will take biopsies from your small intestine to look at under a microscope in order to confirm the diagnosis. But, there’s one … Read more

Dietitian Tauranga

Coeliac disease — more common than you think

Coeliac disease affects more than one in 70 New Zealanders. Increased awareness is what’s needed to help the estimated 57,000 New Zealanders who have coeliac disease but don’t know it. An autoimmune condition with symptoms triggered by the ingestion of gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), coeliac disease is thought to affect … Read more