The purpose of screening is early diagnosis and treatment.
Screening tests are usually administered to people without
current symptoms, but who may be at high risk for certain
diseases or conditions. In the United States, children are
generally not screened for celiac disease. In countries where
celiac disease is more common, children are routinely screened
for the disease. For example, in Italy, children are screened
for celiac disease by age six. The Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research recommends the following: - If someone in
your family is known to have celiac disease, you should be
screened for it. Doing so can help avoid the complications that
can result from not treating the disease. - If you suffer from
celiac disease, you should be tested for nutritional
deficiencies. In some cases, testing for bone density may also
be necessary. Screening for celiac disease involves testing for
the antibodies to gluten. This is done by testing a blood sample
for three specific antibodies: antigliadin,