Reduce the risk of celiac disease?

The right diet and shots for a baby might prevent celiac disease

What if we could wave a magic wand and prevent celiac disease or delay it for your child? You wouldn't have to avoid gluten and watch what your child eats when you go to a restaurant or someone's house. Could that really be possible?   The answer may be yes, with diet and getting the right shots as a baby. 

Rotavirus and celiac disease

Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of vomiting and diarrhea that infants and kids get from each other. This so-called stomach flu usually goes away within a week, but the damage could last a lifetime.  During the sickness, the body makes antibodies to fight the Rotavirus. Some research suggests that those antibodies can also attack gluten and create an overly sensitive autoimmune response.  This could be one way that celiac disease develops. 

In one study, (L Stene and others, Amer J Gastro, 2006, pages 2333-40)  researchers found that children who had the celiac genes (DQ2 or DQ8) were twice as likely to develop the disease if they got sick with rotavirus. The risk was more than 3 times higher if the child was infected with rotavirus two or more times. 

A large European and American study  (Clin Gastro 2017, pages 694-702)  suggested that getting the rotavirus shots and introducing gluten into a baby's diet by 6 months could reduce the risk of those under 4 developing celiac disease in about 40% of the children who would be prone to getting the disease. The TEDDY study group plans to continue the study to see if those simple measures can prevent the disease even longer.

A third study (M Barroso and others, Gastro 2018, pages 2089-96) also  emphasizes the role of diet, this time in 1-year-olds. Those  who ate lots of vegetables, vegetable oils, pasta, and grains and only had a little of sweet beverages and refined or processed flour had much less  of having celiac disease bythe the time they were 6 years old. 

Bottom Line: The Rotavirus shots babies are supposed to get in the first few months may prevent celiac disease, especially if they are also introduced to gluten by 6 months of age and continue to follow a healthy diet