The Countdown To Celiac Awareness Month Is ON

When May arrives and Awareness Month kicks off, we want Congress talking about Celiac Disease. Let's get them talking for us. You've got the facts, share them forward!

Educate and Advocate -- Do it TODAY!

Here is some text you can use in your letter to your local representative. You can find more information at the American Celiac Disease Alliance website.

As one of your constituents, one of the millions of Americans with celiac disease, I am writing to ask you to cosponsor H.Con.Res. 110, recognizing May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month.

Celiac disease is the most common genetic disorder in the world. It affects men, women, children and the elderly. In the United States 1 in 133 or about 3 million have the condition yet 95% remain undiagnosed.

The symptoms of celiac disease include migraines, stomach pain, anemia, joint pain, fatigue, diarrhea and many more. Because the symptoms mirror those of other conditions it can often take years for patients to be properly diagnosed. These delays can lead to growth and developmental delays in children, infertility, osteoporosis and the onset of other autoimmune disorders.

Here are a few other facts consider:

- Type 1 diabetes affects 3 million of our citizens and 10% also have celiac disease.

- 400,000 Americans have Down syndrome and 12% (48,000) will have celiac disease as well.

- Almost 50% of men diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia will also be diagnosed with celiac disease.

Educating the public and expanding awareness among health professionals will improve diagnosis rates and hopefully prevent individuals from developing other potentially life threatening illnesses.

Please cosponsor H.Con.Res. 110 to help raise awareness about celiac disease, the world's most common genetic disorder.

Thank you.

Celiac Students and Gluten Free Lunches

From the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA)

As the school year draws to a close, we've been doing a lot of thinking about the growing number of children with celiac. How many of these kids able to get their medically required gluten-free diet at school? From what we know, not very many How does it make them feel that they can't go through the lunch line with their friends? Some shrug it off. But I expect that many, like my 10 year-old, will tell you about the special Thanksgiving lunch with tears in their eyes.

Many parents are not aware that the National School Lunch Program requires schools to meet the needs of students with special dietary needs.

The ACDA has launched a brief online survey to find out who is providing lunch for student's with celiac disease - parents, school, or a combination. This survey will help us to work with parents so that their children can have gluten-free meals during the next school year.

If you have a child with celiac disease attending school
please CLICK HERE to complete the survey.

Your input is vitally important to demonstrate that our children want and need gluten-free meals at school. The survey will close on July 2, 2008.

Thank you for helping us help our kids!

American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA)