OCD

Nutrition Therapy for Celiac Disease in Children, St. Louis Area Pediatric Dietitian Nutritionists

  • Improve symptoms

  • Decrease risk for long-term health complications

  • Implement a gluten-free diet

  • Get supplement support

  • Learn how to read food labels

  • Get tips to manage social situations (birthday parties, eating out, family meals)

  • Receive continued support to adjust your child’s diet plan as needed

  • Get evidence-based resources

Learn to Manage Celiac Disease with Dietary Interventions

A diagnosis of celiac disease can be scary. It can feel overwhelming for children and their families. Everyone will be affected. How your child and family experience food will change.

An experienced pediatric dietitian nutritionist on our team will work with you, your family, and your healthcare team to ensure comprehensive care. Together, we can help your child and family learn how to manage the disease. We provide resources, education, and tips so you feel empowered to make the right nutrition choices. We offer supplement support and will ensure your child is absorbing essential nutrients and vitamins with their new diet plan.

A diagnosis is a crucial first step toward healing. We provide online and in-person nutrition counseling in our offices in Missouri and Illinois, near St. Louis. We look forward to working with you and helping your child feel healthier.

What is the role of a dietitian in Celiac Disease?

A dietitian that specializes in celiac disease plays a crucial role in helping individuals manage their condition through diet. Since celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten, a strict gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment. A celiac trained RD can help with gluten free diet recommendation, how to read food labels, and ensure a nutrient rich gluten free diet. In addition, they will assist with meal planning, how to dine out, and avoiding cross contamination.

What is the best diet for Celiac disease?

  • Foods that are Okay to Eat:

    • Allowed Fresh Foods:

      • Fruits and vegetables

      • Beans, seeds, legumes, and nuts

      • (unprocessed)

      • Eggs

      • Lean meats, fish, poultry (non-processed)

      • Most low-fat dairy products

    • Gluten-Free Grains and Flours:

      • Amaranth

      • Arrowroot

      • Buckwheat

      • Corn (including cornmeal, grits, and polenta)

      • Flax

      • Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)

      • Hominy

      • Millet

      • Quinoa

      • Rice (including wild rice)

      • Sorghum

      • Soy

      • Tapioca (cassava root)

      • Teff

 

  • Foods and Ingredients to Avoid:

    • Wheat

    • Barley

    • Rye

    • Triticale

    • Oats (unless labeled gluten-free; contamination possible)

  • Wheat Varieties and Flours to Avoid:

    • Durum

    • Einkorn

    • Emmer

    • Kamut

    • Spelt

    • Enriched flour

    • Farina

    • Graham flour

    • Self-rising flour

How to tell the difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance?

While both conditions are triggered by the consumption of gluten, they differ significantly.

Celiac Commons Symptoms:

  • Diarrhea

  • Constipation

  • Weight Loss

  • Abdominal Pain

  • Bloating

  • Malnutrition

If untreated, these can lead to serious complications such as osteoporosis, infertility, and neurological issues.

Gluten Intolerance:

  • Bloating

  • Abdominal Pain

  • Diarrhea

  • Headaches

  • Fatigue

  • Brain Fog

However, these symptoms do not result in damage to the small intestines or nutrient malabsorption.

What are the five stages of Celiac Disease?

The five stages of celiac disease refer to a grading system called the Marsh Classification or Marsh Score.

  • Marsh 0-1: Early stages, with few or no symptoms and minimal damage

  • Marsh 2-3: Intermediate to severe stages, where the immune system actively damages the villi, leading to malabsorption and symptoms

  • Marsh 4: End-stage, with significant damage

Diagnosis of celiac disease typically occurs when the Marsh score reaches 2-3, and it is confirmed through a combination of blood test and small intestine biopsies.

Early diagnosis and a gluten-free diet can prevent progression to the more severe stages of the disease. Even more reason why a dietitian nutritionist trained in celiac disease is crucial to making a difference in outcome.

Our Team of Dietitian Nutritionists in the Greater St. Louis Area

Branz Nutrition Counseling is a team of certified eating disorder dietitians who provide compassionate care to those struggling with their relationship to food. Our approach is weight-inclusive, LGBTQIA+, and social justice-oriented, which means that we believe that everyone deserves access to quality care. 

 

We can’t wait to meet you!

With locations in Illinois and Missouri, we offer both virtual and in-person counseling sessions. And, we are licensed to provide Telehealth nutrition therapy to  patients around the country.

​Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Missouri | New York | Texas | Virginia

We see clients in person in the St. Louis area, Missouri, Illinois, and from around the country via Telehealth. Learn more here.

Scroll to see the whole team.

How It Works – An Easy Three-Step Process to Get You on the Road to Recovery

Make An Appointment

What service do you need? We offer a range of appointments of different durations to best fit your needs.

Meet with your Personal Dietitian

Be paired with the dietitian nutritionist on our team and get continued support with one of our online groups. One-on-one counseling, in-person, or virtual. WE TAKE INSURANCE!

Take Control of Your Life

Heal your relationship with food and your body. Choose the best foods for your unique needs. Get the tools you need to live a healthy life. Receive continued support.

Note: In order to secure a spot on a dietitian’s schedule, we need a valid payment method on file.

Our Testimonials

Thank you for choosing us as the Best Dietitian Practice in STL (2023)

  • There have been times where my daughter will eat 4 bowls of carrots and turn down a cookie, and there have been times where she will want all the fruit snacks and nothing else, but it doesn’t stress me out because I know now that it’s just what her body wants in the moment. The information provided in your course not only helps my kids, but also opened my eyes to some of my own internal struggles around sugar and meal times!"

  • My sister Gifted this program to me and I'm so glad she did! I've already gotten so much out of watching the modules and reading the PDFs."

  • Understanding and implementing the Division of Responsibility in Feeding really takes the pressure off meal times. I love sitting down to enjoy dinner with my family and I hope it’s a memory my kids enjoy when they’re older too."

  • Also, againg, thank you for being so kind to "A". She usually does not like seeing "doctor like people", but she actually enjoys coming to see you, so that says a lot.

    by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

  • I can't thank you enough for all you have done for us. I know we will continue to deal with food issues but at least I see hope. I honestly don't know how L(or myself) could have got through the past year without you. You literally are a lifesaver!! You are an amazing dietitian!!.

    by Mother of a Patient

  • Thank you for the caring devoted service and gentle compassion you have shown "S" over the years.

    by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

  • I am truly grateful we found you to be he nutritionist. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

  • "For most of my life, I have correlated the size of my body to being loved and accepted. The smaller I am, the more lovable and acceptable I am. Giving up the dieting, the rules, and the noise has given me the freedom to trust, appreciate and accept love from others as well as myself".

    by

  • I truly appreciate the encouragement and hearfelt, genuine concern you have for me. Your counsel and empathy have meant a great deal and helped keep me going during difficult times.

    by C, Saint Louis, MO

  • Thanks for helping me think about food differently and providing guidance regarding how to select carbs. Also, thanks for helping me recognize that the evolution would take several months to come to a 'new normal'.

    by E, Saint Louis, MO

We Accept Insurance

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Branz Nutrition in the Media

Best Diets 2024  By Michelle Wilson

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Tips for Getting Back to a Healthy Eating Patterns after the Holidays By Michelle Wilson

Nutrition Blog & Latest News

Our team of Dietitians offers online support as well as in-person appointments in MO and IL.