Dr. Sufla Saxena, HOD Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, HCMCT Manipal Hospitals, Dwarka says “If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction damages your small intestine’s lining and prevents it from absorbing some nutrients (malabsorption). The intestinal damage often causes diarrhoea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and anaemia, and can lead to serious complications.
In children, malabsorption can adversely affect growth and development, besides causing the symptoms seen in adults.”