093_HR0478
LRB093 13262 RAH 18531 r
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Celiac Disease, also known as Celiac Sprue, is a
3 genetic, autoimmune disease that affects 2.1 million people
4 in the United States and 94,742 in the State of Illinois;
5 Celiac Disease causes damage to the small intestine and
6 interferes with the intestine's function of digestion and
7 absorption of nutrients; and
8 WHEREAS, One in 700 will carry the diagnosis, and
9 undiagnosed Celiac Disease may be as common as one in 133
10 persons; and
11 WHEREAS, Damage occurs when the protein fraction of
12 dietary gluten found in wheat, oats, rye, and barley comes in
13 contact with the lining of the small intestine; and
14 WHEREAS, Gluten damages the intestines and keeps your
15 body from taking in many of the nutrients from food; this
16 includes vitamins, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, fats, and
17 other important nutrients; and
18 WHEREAS, Celiac Disease is a genetic disorder, and if one
19 family member has the disease, each first degree family
20 member has a risk of developing Celiac Disease approaching
21 10%; a person may have this tendency for a while without
22 getting sick, then something like severe stress, physical
23 injury, infection, childbirth, or surgery can "trigger" the
24 disease; and
25 WHEREAS, Celiac Disease affects both adults and children;
26 among the most common symptoms (in fact the most common
27 symptoms for adults and children is no symptoms at all) for
28 adults are weight loss, chronic diarrhea or constipation,
29 abdominal cramping, intestinal gas, and muscle wasting; for
30 children the symptoms usually include growth failure,
31 projectile vomiting, diarrhea, and a bloated abdomen; and
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1 WHEREAS, Celiac Disease is a life-long disease that
2 fortunately can be controlled by following a 100% gluten-free
3 diet; by following this diet, you can reverse the damage
4 caused by the disease and feel better; and
5 WHEREAS, New blood tests can help your doctor diagnose
6 this disease, including the tissue transglutaminase test and
7 the anti-endomysial antibody test; those who test positive
8 require an endoscopic biopsy to establish the diagnosis; if
9 you have dermatitis herpetiformis (an itchy, blistery skin
10 problem), a simple skin biopsy can diagnose the disease; and
11 WHEREAS, Celiac Disease Awareness Month strives to
12 increase public awareness of the symptoms and causes of the
13 disease, as well as to educate physicians caring for those
14 with undiagnosed celiac disease; therefore, be it
15 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17 we declare the month of October 2003, and every October
18 thereafter, as Celiac Disease Awareness Month in the State of
19 Illinois and all citizens are urged to join in the
20 commemoration of this important observance.