Clinical Presentations of Coeliac Disease in Children from 2 to 14 Years

Background: To study presentations of childhood coeliac disease (CD) in different paediatric age groups . Methods:This descriptive study was conducted on two hundred patients of either sex from two to fourteen years of age with suspicion of CD. Anti-endomysial titres (EMA ) were done in all the patients. Those with positive EMA titres were subjected to endoscopy. Biopsy was taken for confirmation of CD. Results: Out of two hundred patients seen, forty patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of CD. Mean age at presentation was eight years. Mean duration of symptomatology was 6.5 years. Male to female ratio was 1.6:1. Out of forty patients ,32% presented with chronic diarrhea, 22.5% with short stature. Iron deficiency anaemia was found in 20% and abdominal pain in 14.5%. Family history was positive in 4.55% patients. Conclusion: Younger children present with intestinal manifestation of CD like chronic diarrhoea. Older children usually have extraintestinal manifestations like short stature, iron deficiency anemia, abdominal pain and