Joseph Murray, M. D., discusses the recently published celiac disease checklist by the Celiac Disease Foundation, a leading organization for celiac disease education, advocacy, and support.
The celiac disease symptom checklist is a comprehensive list of symptoms and scenarios that are associated with celiac disease. This checklist is a reminder to celiac disease patients about their symptoms and also a way to illicit symptoms from people who think they may have celiac disease. The checklist asks specific questions like:
- Do you have family history of celiac disease?
- Do you have changes in your bowel motions that might be a suggestion of malabsorption?
- Are you currently eating a diet that contains gluten (wheat, rye, barley)?
Who is this checklist useful for? It is useful for anyone who thinks celiac disease might be a possibility. The checklist takes you through the common and not so common symptoms of celiac disease. Once all the questions are filled out, the answers are provided via email. This provides a helpful guide for talking to your doctor about celiac disease and the symptoms you are experiencing. The checklist links to the Celiac Disease Foundation's directory of doctors who are interested in managing patients with celiac disease. The Celiac Disease Foundation makes sure it is clear that the symptom checklist is not an aide for self-diagnosis.
For more information on celiac disease, visit mayoclinic.org/celiacdisease.
Dr. Murray is a gastroenterologist and celiac disease expert at Mayo Clinic.