After the nurse provides dietary restrictions to the parents of a child with celiac disease, which statement by the parents indicates effective teaching?
A. “We’ll follow these instructions until our child has completely grown and developed.”
B. “Well follow these instructions until our child’s symptoms disappear.”
C. “Our child must maintain these dietary restrictions until adulthood.”
D. “Our child must maintain these dietary restrictions lifelong.”
Correct Answer: D. “Our child must maintain these dietary restrictions lifelong.”
Celiac disease is an autoimmune reaction to a protein called gluten. A patient with celiac disease must maintain dietary restrictions lifelong to avoid recurrence of clinical manifestations of the disease. A gluten-free diet should be followed by avoiding barley, rye, wheat, oats, and triticale. Once the diagnosis of celiac disease is made, patients need regular follow up to ensure that they are compliant with a gluten-free diet and not developing any complications.
Option A: It is recommended that all people diagnosed with celiac disease follow a strict gluten-free diet. This adherence is best done under the supervision of specialists, including a dietician. In general, symptoms improve on the gluten-free diet within days to weeks. Non-compliance can be unintentional in an individual who may be still ingesting gluten without realizing it.
Option B: Currently, the only recommended treatment for celiac disease is the gluten-free diet. This makes a significant impact on the lives of people affected and can be challenging to maintain. There is continuous work on possible non-dietary therapies that enable people with celiac disease to tolerate gluten. One of the main focuses of the research in this area is immune modulators.
Option C: The prognosis for patients with the correct diagnosis and treatment is good. Unfortunately, compliance with a gluten-free diet is very difficult and relapses are common. Some patients do not respond to a gluten-free diet or corticosteroids; they have a poor quality of life.