As Claire is a minor, her story is told by her mother, Stacie.
Describe your life prior to diagnosis.
Claire would not be able to keep any food down, and was violently throwing up for hours.
How did you find out that you had celiac disease? Did you suspect it beforehand?
We went to the doctor, and they kept telling us it was a virus, and that it would go away. We finally took her to a Children’s Hospital. She was down to eight pounds at 18 months old.
How long did it take for you to get diagnosed since your first symptoms and what (if any) challenges did you face along the way?
I believe it was less than six months. She was not getting any nutrients to her body, and was losing weight. Thankfully, she was diagnosed at a very young age, so we were able to get her back to healthy pretty quickly.
Describe your experience living with celiac disease.
It can be hard at times, but she would much rather be happy and safe instead of sick eating food that contains gluten.
