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AWARENESS ADVOCATE OF THE MONTH
Dr. Ritu Verma, MD Section Chief, Gastroenterology & Nutrition Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Have you been to a doctor who doesn’t believe that celiac disease exists? Have you been told that celiac is still a rare condition that only affects children with big bellies? If this sounds familiar, than you probably haven’t been to see Dr. Ritu Verma at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP). Dr. Verma is the section chief of gastroenterology & nutrition at CHOP, so she sees plenty of patients with celiac disease, but unlike many doctors, she has a special connection to the disease…her two children have celiac. Not only is Dr. Verma an outstanding advocate for her two children, but for the entire celiac community. We selected Dr. Verma as the December Awareness Advocate of the Month in hopes that you’ll share her story with your doctor and encourage medical providers across the country to take a more proactive approach to helping their patients cope with celiac.  Dr. Verma with her daughter Priyanka and the NFCA team Q&A with Dr. Verma: Q: When do you decide to test pediatric patients for celiac disease? A: When children are referred to the specialty physicians, it is generally because they have already been to a primary care doctor and are still sick. If a child presents with chronic abdominal pain, constipation and other gastrointestinal issues, I will test them for celiac. But I also take family history very seriously. If the family has a history of other autoimmune diseases, then I will definitely order a celiac test. Q: What happens if there is a positive celiac diagnosis? A: I will typically tell parents about a celiac diagnosis over the phone and immediately take three steps. The first is to set up a follow-up appointment for the child. Next, I schedule an appointment for the family with a dietician. And third, the family attends an in-office training session about celiac disease and how to manage a gluten-free diet. My staff and I developed the in-office training in order to help parents understand the lifestyle intervention in a very detailed way. We discuss the daily changes required for people with celiac disease and help families find ways to cope. I also encourage the entire family to be tested since celiac is a genetic condition. I will personally write lab slips for all family members and refer them to the appropriate providers if the test comes back positive. Q: How do you deal with kids who cheat on the gluten-free diet? A: I yell at them!! But over the years, I’ve become much more tolerant of cheating because I’ve seen how difficult it has been for my own children to handle the diet. I really try to help parents find a way to teach their children that gluten-free cooking can be delicious! Q: What advice do you have for parents of children with celiac? A: I always tell them that celiac is the BEST disease their child can have. There are so many life-threatening diseases that children get, but celiac is so manageable. By simply changing a child’s diet, they become healthy. And, the most important lesson for parents to teach their children is NOT to feel sorry for themselves. Just because they can’t eat regular pizza doesn’t mean life is over. There are so many wonderful gluten-free options, so children should never feel like they are living without. Q: What advice do you have for other doctors who treat children with celiac disease? A: Celiac is the easiest disease to have and manage. You just have to give parents the right tools to help their children. |
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