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

I received several emails about testing in Italy.  Some said yes, and
perhaps that was true in some areas at some time, and others said that Italy
did not test.  I did receive an interesting email from someone with a celiac
child who told us that the schools offer a GF meal to the children in the
school

My family and our two children; one 6 year old with Coeliac
lived in Italy for one year in 1997. My children started school there and we
were told that the gluten free diet was easily accommodated at the school. I
needed no information sheets, they knew all about it. They checked with me
the products they used (for his lunches) and provided gluten free meals at
every meal. The meals were identical to the rest of the class, except that
they were GF. In addition to this, Italy's health system allows you (as a
coeliac) to have free breads and pasta using a little book of coupons (from
your doctor, who certifies that you are Coeliac). It is well accepted in
Italy, as a high percentage of people are gluten free there. The figure of 1
in 15 comes to mind, but I might be wrong. I do believe they screen all
children prior to school. They also have the best gluten free products I
have seen.

Wouldn’t that be great if we could adopt that policy here in the US and
other countries?

Other replies were:

That has only happened in some school districts where the research was
conducted.
No standard screening of grade 1 students is yet in place. Nonetheless,
Italy is a very easy place to get testing.
(In regards to the study in Italy of children entering school.)Your
information is correct—there was a large study of Italian school children by
Carlos Catassi, and yes, it is over.
Here is an interesting contribution from Spain.

In Spain, it depends. I have had some problems with my son's doctor, and it
take 2 months.  In Spain, it depends. I have had some problems with my son's
doctor, and it
take 2 months.  You can find  gluten free resources all over Spain. In the
big ones, El Corte Inglés has a good celiac food department. In the little
cities, you have not so much choice, but you can buy something. In Cataluña
(Barcelona, Tarragona, Lérida y Gerona) you can order it in each pharmacy,
and you have what you want in 24 hours. You can find gluten free resources
all over Spain. In the big ones, El Corte Inglés has a good celiac food
department. In the little cities, you have not so much choice, but you can
buy something. In Cataluña (Barcelona, Tarragona, Lérida y Gerona) you can
order it in each pharmacy, and you have what you want in 24 hours.

Here is a piece of an article that can be found at the site below.

  http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Mar/03132003/thursday/37736.asp
<http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Mar/03132003/thursday/37736.asp>
Despite its apparent commonness, there's little support for population wide
screening for celiac disease. Because the ailment can arise throughout life,
it's not obvious at what age testing would be appropriate or cost-effective.
In Italy, mandatory testing for 6-year-olds was abandoned after several
years because a cost-benefit analysis didn't justify it and it was difficult
to persuade Italian parents to put asymptomatic children on a diet that
would ban pasta for life.
    It's also unknown whether people without symptoms benefit from the
strict diet. A small study from Finland published last year hints they may.
    Researchers there compared two groups of people with celiac disease.
Diagnoses were made in members of one group because they had symptoms.
Members of the other were found only when they were screened for the disease
after it was diagnosed in a symptomatic relative. After a year on a
gluten-free diet, both groups reported significant improvements in
psychological well-being and gastrointestinal complaints.
    What no one doubts is that doctors should think of celiac disease more
often than they do. A survey of 1,600 people in celiac support groups in the
United States found that a person's symptoms were present for 11 years
before the disease was identified.
    "It usually takes years to change the practice of medicine unless it's a
real breakthrough," said Stephen James, head of digestive-diseases research
at the National Institutes of Health. "And part of that occurs by educating
the public. More and more diagnoses today are being made because the patient
says, 'Don't you think I might have this or that?' "

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