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This video features Dr. Anca Safta, Pediatrician from University of Maryland Children’s Hospital. Even though it is aimed towards celiac disease and gluten intolerance in children it is beneficial for anyone suffering from this condition or anyone with a loved one suffering from it as the video discusses symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and some possible future treatments for celiac disease.

Like the post Celiac Symptoms Often Go Undiagnosed, this video discusses both the prevalence of Celiac disease, but also the high rate of undiagnosed individuals.

This video offers great information on getting a proper diagnosis, making a point that a simple blood test isn’t enough. A blood test is a good place to start, but if that comes back positive it is important to have a biopsy to verify if the symptoms are really from celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Misdiagnosis can occur if all the proper steps aren’t taken. In some cases a simple blood test may look like the symptoms are caused by celiac disease, but there may be another autoimmune disorder at play. Or there may be two autoimmune disorders present at the same time, which would lead to a more specific treatment.

For me two of the most interesting parts of this video include the discussion of possible future treatments and the tiny pill-sized camera that can be used to view the health of the intestinal wall. This camera can be swallowed so it can take thousands of pictures along the digestive tract allowing doctors to get a good view of the mucosal lining and the villi.

There are definitely some exciting treatments on the horizon for those of us with some form of gluten intolerance. She discusses medications that can help strengthen the mucosal lining, along with the possibility of a pill that may allow you to eat gluten occasionally (something that works like Lactaid). There is also ongoing research in the area of vaccinations. Of course most of this is in the future, but it is exciting to see the medical progress in this area.