Keeping Your Infant Healthy Could Prevent Celiac Disease

The study's conclusion, "having repeated infectious episodes early in life increases the risk for later celiac disease", is NOT the same as saying that preventing infections in the first six months can prevent celiac disease. An association between infections and celiac disease does not prove causality. I suspect it is far more likely that the study results indicate that the infants who had several early infections had them because they already were starting to develop celiac disease. This is borne out by the study's note about the synergistic effects of infants being introduced to dietary gluten in large amounts and cessation of breastfeeding. Add it up: large amounts of gluten fed to a baby plus several "infectious episodes" equals a baby with celiac disease who is sick because their immune system is compromised by being fed gluten. That said, I agree with the recommendations to avoid stressing the baby, exclusive breastfeeding for at least a year, and avoiding travel. I also agree that the mother of a child who has a parent or close relative with celiac disease should not eat gluten while nursing. Additionally, when gluten is introduced to the child's diet, parents should be observant to any changes in the infant's health, including any increase in "infectious episodes." I disagree strongly with the author's conclusion that preventing infections can prevent celiac disease. (Note: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I'm basing my conclusions on my own personal observations of my two children with celiac disease, my 27 years of experience with celiac disease in my family, and my understanding of association and causality in medical research.)

The study's conclusion, "having repeated infectious episodes early in life increases the risk for later celiac disease", is NOT the same as saying that preventing infections in the first six months can prevent celiac disease. An association between infections and celiac disease does not prove causality. I suspect it is far more likely that the study results indicate that the infants who had several early infections had them because they already were starting to develop celiac disease. This is borne out by the study's note about the synergistic effects of infants being introduced to dietary gluten in large amounts and cessation of breastfeeding. Add it up: large amounts of gluten fed to a baby plus several "infectious episodes" equals a baby with celiac disease who is sick because their immune system is compromised by being fed gluten. That said, I agree with the recommendations to avoid stressing the baby, exclusive breastfeeding for at least a year, and avoiding travel. I also agree that the mother of a child who has a parent or close relative with celiac disease should not eat gluten while nursing. Additionally, when gluten is introduced to the child's diet, parents should be observant to any changes in the infant's health, including any increase in "infectious episodes." I disagree strongly with the author's conclusion that preventing infections can prevent celiac disease. (Note: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I'm basing my conclusions on my own personal observations of my two children with celiac disease, my 27 years of experience with celiac disease in my family, and my understanding of association and causality in medical research.)

No, I don't think this is true as you cannot develop celiac disease until you have had gluten introduced into the diet. This typically occurs at or around the age of 6 months, and so infections prior to this age could not occur due to starting to develop celiac disease. This is one of the reasons that breast feeding is thought to be protective, as it has also been shown to decrease the incidence of infections during the early infancy period. My issue with the article is saying that nursing moms should be "screened for gluten intolerance" and if they have any genetic markers for it they should avoid gluten and dairy. This is not supported by any evidence. There are no markers for gluten intolerance outside of those for celiac disease, meaning we cannot screen for a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Furthermore, if you do carry one of the genetic markers for celiac, as 30-40% of the population does, this does not mean you will definitely go on to develop celiac, which only 1% of the population does. There is therefore no need to avoid gluten or dairy (I'm not sure why this got thrown in there), and there is no data to say that either of these lowers your immune system.