August 2014
Gene type confers 26 percent chance
of early celiac sign by age 5
More than one quarter of children with two copies of a
high-risk variant in a specific group of genes develop an early sign of celiac
disease called celiac disease autoimmunity (CDA) by age 5. The findings are
from The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in Youth consortium, or TEDDY. The National Institutes of Health
(NIH)-funded study, published July 2 in the New England Journal of Medicine, also found that participants
in Sweden had higher rates of celiac disease than participants in the United
States, Finland, and Germany, even with the same genetic risks.
TEDDY is studying celiac disease and type 1
diabetes because both are autoimmune diseases with some of the same genetic
risk factors. Celiac disease occurs in
just under 1 percent of the U.S. population, and is more common than type 1
diabetes. Celiac disease stems from an immune reaction to gluten, a protein
found in wheat, rye, and barley. Over time, celiac disease can damage the small
intestine and cause other health problems. People with celiac disease and CDA
need to follow a gluten-free
diet.
To learn more, check out the full news release.
At the University of Colorado Denver’s Barbara Davis Center,
2-year-old Cameron learns about blood draws with the help of nurse Betsy Burke
and a teddy bear. Cameron is a participant in The Environmental Determinants of
Diabetes in Youth (TEDDY) consortium. Funded by the National Institutes of
Health and others, TEDDY is following the health of more than 8,500 children in
the United States, Finland, Sweden, and Germany to find the causes of type 1
diabetes. Photo courtesy of the Barbara Davis Center, TEDDY Colorado Clinical
Center.
Talk about high blood pressure before heading
back to school
The start of a new
school year is a good time for parents to ‘check up’ on their child’s health,
including their blood pressure. Annual well visits are an important time to
discuss high blood pressure because, contrary to popular belief, children can
have high blood pressure and the number of children with high blood pressure is
growing. Being overweight can increase your chances of developing high blood
pressure. Here are some things parents need to know before the next
pediatrician’s visit:
-
All children 3 years of age and older should have their
blood pressure checked regularly. Having high blood pressure may not cause any symptoms. If
the blood pressure is high at three health care visits, your child may need
further testing.
-
High blood pressure in children needs to be treated. Untreated high blood pressure can cause kidney
disease, heart disease, eye disease, and other serious health problems over
time. Treatment begins with lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise.
For more information,
download High Blood Pressure and Children:
What Parents Need to Know from the National Kidney Disease
Education Program, another NIDDK initiative.
Watch for the next issue of the WIN Notes Update for…
…tips to help you observe National Childhood
Obesity Awareness Month.
|