Celiac disease, national week: screening and initiatives for the little ones

Constantly growing diagnosis

Today the spotlight light up on celiac disease with a dense calendar of events destined to raise awareness of an ever wider audience. « Celiac diagnoses have been constantly growing since 2007, » he underlines ROssella Valmarana, president of AIC« This means that the initiatives put in the field at national and regional level are effective and we are going in the right direction, even if there is still a lot of work to do. Diagnosis represent 45% of the expected value (about 600 thousand)For this reason, our commitment is oriented to guarantee an early diagnosis, a fundamental form of prevention of complications, even very serious ones, that celiac disease with late diagnosis or non -diagnosed can bring ».

« Identifying celiac disease can also be difficult for the variety of symptoms that does not only concern the intestinal system » he explains Caterina Pilo, AIC General Manager. « In some cases the pathology occurs with unexpected symptoms (including infertility, spontaneous abortion, alopecia, weakness of the nail polish of the teeth) and in some cases it is asymptomatic. The scheduled initiatives are also useful for raising the guard and attracting the attention of everyone, citizens and health professionals, on this disease ».

A pediatric screening

Until a few decades ago, celiac disease was considered a pediatric disease, it was thought that it manifested itself only in the years of childhood. Today we know that it is not so: even an adult can become celiac. « There is one genetic basefor which Already at birth there is a predisposition, but then a triggering factor is needed that « activates » the disease and this can happen at any time of life»Explains Caterina Pilo. «Last year a law was approved that introduced it Pediatric screening for celiac disease and type 1 diabetes And in four regions a pilot program started which, once extended to all regions, will allow to promptly identify children who present this predisposition ».

Attention, the test result is not equivalent to a diagnosis of celiac disease. Screening is precious to perform a first « skimming » and in a later age group subject children to risk to further investigations. It is estimated, in fact, that The genetic predisposition concerns between 30 and 40% of the general population, but only about 3% of subjects at risk will develop the disease.

Conferences and medical consultations

Screening and free medical advice, conferences with dieticians and nutritionists, online meetings dedicated to celiac people and their families. Until May 18, the information is the protagonist: There are numerous opportunities in many Italian regions to confront various professional figures, doctors but also psychologists, and receive targeted advice.
An opportunity to spread correct information and dispel those false myths that are particularly hard to die. « False myths that risk trivializing this disease, just think of the confusion between wheat allergy and celiac disease, or the belief that celiacs can heal and therefore at some point to return to eat » normally « and that some are more celiac from others » comments the general manager of AIC. « There are also those who believe they are a fashion eliminating gluten from nutrition and those who think can be a choice made to lose weight … ».

The presence, at all the offices of the Association, of experts and volunteers available to answer doubts and questions, and the distribution of gadgets and information material, will contribute to the spread of greater awareness about a disease that must not be underestimated, a disease for which there is no care, if not a gluten -free diet to follow throughout life. During the week, for those who have received a diagnosis of celiac disease there is the possibility of performing a nutritional evaluation and receiving a personalized food scheme.

Workshops and fairy tales for children

Medical consultancy and conferences yes, but not only. The scheduled events calendar is decidedly varied. With many appointments also for children such as i Cooking courses for the little onesi creative workshops and the Readings aloud of fairy tales and illustrated books who speak of celiac disease and inclusion. Among the proposals for families, pastry courses, workshops to discover the secrets of pizza or fresh pasta and courses to learn to prepare creative snacks. And for those who want to eat outside there is spoiled for choice, they range from gala dinners to the grilled to the sandwich with porchetta. All of course, rigorously gluten free.

Cooking courses, with the participation of AIC chefs, are also organized for collective catering operators to offer them all the indications necessary to serve suitable meals and eliminate the risk of contamination. The complete calendar of appointments is available on site Celiac disease week Where an interactive map is available: by clicking on your region you can consult the list of events scheduled on your territory. The list of monuments is also available on the site that from North to Southern Italy these days will light up with green, the color that, internationally, has been associated with celiac disease.

At school gluten -free menu

Among the most significant initiatives connected to the week, the project « All at the table, all together: the days of the gluten -free menu« , Which provides for the distribution in the school canteens of a completely gluten -free menu. In the 2024 edition, the gluten free meals served in schools have exceeded half a million » this year the kindergarten and the primary schools that have joined are more than 650 « explains Caterina Pilo. » The gluten -free meal becomes the opportunity to spread correct information, involving the teachers, but also the families and the small pupils. sharing are precious to guarantee the complete integration of celiac pupils in the school context ».

This year then, theItalian Celiac Association Celebrate a very important milestone. « Twenty years turned the law that sanctioned the right to gluten -free meal in public canteens » concludes the general manager of AIC. «This is in particular the school canteens that in Italy are 70% of the overall public canteens: thanks to this law, celiac children can eat at school. Before, those who were celiac had to go home for lunch, with important consequences in terms of socialization and family organization ».