<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Here are responses from the List that I received.  Thank you to all who
responded.  I still feel few doctors, even GIs,  connect constipation to
possible celiac disease.  Janet



-- Janet in CA:  for more information see:
http://hsc.virginia.edu/cmc/tutorials/constipation/encopre.htm

We also treated our son for encopresis.



-- Lynn:  I find it positive that he even thought of celiac when the
problem is constipation....many doctors don't get this connection.



--  Actually, Dr. Brazelton is correct when he says that chronic
constipation is much more common than lead poisoning, appendicitis and
celiac (1 in 130 in US) disease. It would be impractical to rule out
celiac disease in every constipated or oncoparetic child.



-- Carole: I think this doctor is misinformed if she does not relate
constipation with CD.



--Nancy:  Thank you for the link - I just cured myself of this life long
problem by eliminating dairy and most importantly, foot massage when
ever I get the time - Hope you find that useful.



--Lisa:  Thanks for notifying us!  Here is a copy of the letter I sent
to Dr. Brazelton.  Hope it helps!

I am a Registered Nurse, who happens to have celiac disease.  I think it
is fantastic that you suggested Celiac Disease to the parent with the 5
year old's incontinence problem.  Many, many doctors don't even think of
this diagnosis.

The problem is this.  It has recently been discovered that celiac is not
rare at all, it is in fact the most common genetic disorder in the
world!!  A huge prevelancy study was just completed, (and published), at
the University of Maryland by Dr. Alessio Fasano, and it was found that
1 out of every 133 people in the U.S. actually have CD!!  For every
celiac that is diagnosed, there are 89 that do not have a clue that they
have it!!  Dr. Fasano's email address is:  [log in to unmask]
should you like to contact him regarding his study.  I am sure he would
love to discuss it with you, as he is most passionate about the subject!

You are in a very prominent position to educate parents, and fellow
physicians regarding these findings.  Many people with celiac are
totally asymptomatic, and some have as their only symptom  anemia, or
fatigue.  The symptoms run the gamut!  It took seeing 19 different
physicians before I was diagnosed, and even then it was pure luck!   I
personally wrote to the AMA asking them to do a general physician
mailing educating physicians on the new findings and the symptoms to
look for so others wouldn't have to go through the "hell" that I did
acquiring a diagnosis. (They turned me down).  We in the celiac
community would so appreciate your shedding light on this subject, as I
am sure that you would help thousands of people!  If you need a
celebrity angle, Rich Gannon, the quarterback for the Oakland Raiders is
our official spokesman, as his daughter, Danielle has Celiac.
Thank you so much for your time and attention!!

------------

-- Hilary: I heartily agree that Dr. Braselton needs to be educated -
not only on the fact that CD is not the "rare" disorder it was once
thought to be, but good grief - how can you first and foremost suspect
emotional issues with bowel situations? that is so Freud, so last
century! What about eating enough fiber, drinking enough fluids, getting
enough exercise? Even our canine friends will poo a lot more if they get
out on a really nice long walk. I hope that you will chastise him for
blaming the victim and for not steering the parents down some fruitful
avenues to research. He should be asked to refer that question to a
pediatric gastroenterologist rather than playing psychiatrist in an area
out of his expertise.



Hilary:  Well, I'm glad I voiced my opinion to Dr. Brazelton re fiber
and celiac. What a shame that even a gastroenterologist does not see how
horrible it is that not only were fiber/exercise not mentioned, but that
indeed celiac is often missed because of constipation or obesity. Maybe
you can find some of those articles and forward them to her! - they may
be at www.celiac.com, I don't recall. I get really angry when people try
to make something into a psychological control issue BEFORE ruling out
the more likely fact that there is gut malfunction going on (which could
indeed lead to embarrassment, etc.).



*       Deb:  This is a very strange coincidence. I was just on the
internet doing a google search of encopresis and celiac.  Do you know
whether it has been shown that there is any relationship? The reason I
ask is I have been asked to care for a child with multiple challenges
(lactose intolerant-behavioural problems, hungry all the time). Since
many of the initial presenting were dietary and I am a bit suspicious
that they might be undiagnosed celiac.



*       Kate:  I think you misread his answer.  He didn't say that CD
was rare, he said that, in rare cases, the child's behavior may be
caused by medical conditions.  I think that this is a pretty fair
statement.



-- Vicki:  Another problem a person can have - mostly women - is a
rectocele - where there is a fascial tear in the abdomen and the rectum
drops down,  pushing out slightly on the vaginal lining. Any time the
rectum is out of place (dropped), the need to defecate is going to be
rather urgent when there is anything in the rectum.

Vicki



Janet in Houston

Houston Celiac Support Group

www.houstonceliacs.org <http://www.houstonceliacs.org/>

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*