Let me tell you about the time my world got flipped upside down. My daughter Emma was five, and she’d been dealing with stomach issues for months. The pediatrician kept saying it was “just growing pains” or maybe she was eating too much candy. But I knew something wasn’t right when my normally energetic kid started looking like a tired little zombie every afternoon.
Fast forward three months of detective work, elimination diets, and finally proper testing, and boom – celiac disease. Suddenly, everything made sense. Those mysterious rashes, the constant complaints about her tummy hurting, and even her mood swings. It wasn’t just “kid stuff.” Her body was literally fighting against gluten every single day.
If you’re here reading this, chances are you or someone you love might be going through something similar. Trust me, I get it. The signs of gluten intolerance and celiac disease can be sneaky little troublemakers that disguise themselves as other issues. But once you know what to look for, things start clicking into place.
What’s the deal with gluten anyway?
Before we jump into symptoms, let’s get clear on what we’re talking about. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. It’s what gives bread that chewy texture we all love (or used to love, in my case).
Now, there are two main conditions we need to understand:
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where gluten literally damages your small intestine. It’s serious stuff – your immune system goes haywire and attacks your own body when gluten shows up.
Gluten intolerance (also called non-celiac gluten sensitivity) causes similar symptoms but doesn’t damage your intestines like celiac disease does. Think of it as gluten being that annoying friend who overstays their welcome – uncomfortable but not destructive.
The sneaky digestive signs
Let’s start with the obvious stuff – your gut. When Emma was having her issues, the digestive symptoms were front and center. But here’s what I wish I’d known earlier: not all gluten-related digestive problems look the same. Nearly 80% of celiac cases present with gastrointestinal symptoms, including chronic diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and distinctive foul-smelling stools (steatorrhea).
However, only about 30% of adults who experience gluten sensitivity report these classic digestive complaints directly; many experience atypical symptoms or non-digestive effects instead.
And, both celiac disease and gluten intolerance can closely mimic irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leading to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis in adults who present with vague GI complaints, the National Institute of Health warns.
These were the red flags that made me pay attention:
Chronic stomach pain
This isn’t your typical “I ate too much pizza” discomfort. We’re talking about persistent pain that shows up regularly after meals. My daughter would curl up on the couch holding her belly, and it broke my heart every time.
Bloating that won’t quit
You know that feeling when your jeans suddenly feel two sizes too small? With gluten issues, this can happen even after small meals. The bloating is often uncomfortable and visible.
Diarrhea or constipation
Here’s where it gets tricky – gluten problems can swing both ways. Some people get loose stools, others get backed up. My daughter bounced between both, which made figuring out the pattern even harder.
Medical News Today notes that a person with celiac disease may have fluffy or watery poop without solid pieces if they have diarrhea, or lumpy, hard pieces of stool if they are constipated.
Gas that could clear a room
We all have gas sometimes (embarrassing as it sounds). But with gluten intolerance, it can become a daily embarrassment. The smell can be particularly awful too (sorry, TMI but it’s true).
The not-so-obvious signs
Gluten doesn’t just mess with your digestive system – it can affect your whole body in ways you might never connect to what you’re eating.
Fatigue that sleep can’t fix
Remember that zombie-kid situation I mentioned? Fatigue is huge with gluten issues. I started noticing Emma would crash hard in the afternoons, even after getting plenty of sleep. She’d go from bouncing off the walls to barely being able to keep her eyes open.
Chronic fatigue is a major sign of both celiac disease and gluten intolerance, reported in up to 82% of newly diagnosed celiac patients before treatment. When your body is constantly fighting inflammation or not absorbing nutrients properly, you feel wiped out.
Dr. Brian Skjellerudsveen, who led major fatigue studies, explains: “Chronic fatigue in celiac disease is a biologically based phenomenon. Inflammation, pain, and altered immune signaling—not just vitamin deficiency—drive this effect, and gluten-free diets offer meaningful, if sometimes incomplete, relief for most patients”.
Brain fog and mood changes
Brain fog was another big one – she’d stare at her homework like the words were written in ancient hieroglyphics. You might feel scattered, have trouble concentrating, or experience mood swings that seem to come out of nowhere.
Dr. Andrew Krueger highlights gut-brain interaction as a “major clinical frontier” for gluten-related disorders, with inflammation and nutrient malabsorption driving mental fatigue and “fog”.
Some people call it “gluten brain” – that fuzzy feeling where you can’t think clearly. It’s not in your head (well, technically it is, but you know what I mean).
Skin problems
Your skin can be a window into what’s happening inside your body. Gluten issues often show up as:
- Itchy, bumpy rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Eczema that won’t respond to typical treatments
- Unexplained skin irritation
- Dry, flaky patches
An itchy, blistery rash called dermatitis herpetiformis affects roughly 10–17% of celiac adults, most often appearing on elbows, knees, buttocks, scalp, and sometimes the upper back.
Recurrent mouth ulcers (aphthous-like ulcers) occur in 22–23% of celiac patients, nearly triple the rate found in healthy controls. In some cases, mouth ulcers may be the only symptom present, and most patients see significant improvement within 2–6 months of starting a gluten-free diet.
Headaches and migraines
If you’re getting frequent headaches and can’t figure out why, gluten might be the culprit. The inflammation from gluten sensitivity can trigger headaches in some people. The National Institute of Health highlights that Migraines, dizziness, and neuropathy (tingling/numbness in arms and legs) are linked to gluten triggers in up to 67% of gluten-sensitive or celiac patients, frequently without gut complaints.
Anxiety
Evidence suggests depressive and anxiety disorders are two to three times more common in untreated celiac populations and those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Anxiety symptoms have been reported in up to 67.8% of adult celiac patients, with rates especially high among women.
Adolescents with celiac disease display markedly elevated risks: nearly 40% exhibit clinically significant depressive and anxious symptoms compared to healthy peers, according to a 2025 clinical study.
Overlooked symptoms
Recent studies highlight overlooked symptoms such as:
- Metallic taste in the mouth after gluten consumption. This sensation, described by some patients as “strange,” “bitter,” or “chemical,” can linger and often leads to confusion about its source, especially when oral exams reveal no dental or infection-related cause.
- Auditory sensitivity or ringing in the ears. Case studies and small clinical trials suggest gluten can trigger swelling or congestion in soft tissues of the ear by provoking an immune response; fluid buildup in the ear can then lead to temporary hearing changes and tinnitus.
- Leg or arm numbness, sometimes mistaken for a circulatory issue
- Reduced spleen function (“hyposplenism”) and elevated liver enzymes. Hyposplenism (impaired spleen function) has been documented in 19–59% of adults with celiac disease, with risk increasing in those who also have autoimmune disorders or long-standing, untreated disease.
- “Gluten psychosis”—hallucinations or acute psychiatric symptoms, seen in rare neurological cases. Up to 22% of celiac patients develop some neurologic or psychiatric dysfunction, and case reports confirm that gluten-induced psychosis—including visual and auditory hallucinations—can be the only or primary manifestation in select patients.
- ADHD, epilepsy, and movement disorders have been linked to gluten intolerance in children. Children with celiac disease are approximately 1.8 times more likely to develop epilepsy than the general population; likewise, celiac disease is twice as common in children with epilepsy of unknown cause.
Signs that should make you call your doctor ASAP
If you’re a parent, this section is important. Some symptoms are red flags that need immediate attention. Don’t mess around if you’re experiencing:
Severe weight loss
Unexplained weight loss can indicate celiac disease is preventing your body from absorbing nutrients properly. When villi are flattened or destroyed, the body cannot extract calories, proteins, vitamins, and minerals from food, leading to progressive malnutrition.
Children are particularly vulnerable: weight loss often appears alongside poor growth, delayed puberty, and mood changes, and can signal serious complications if left untreated.
Severe anemia
When your intestines are damaged, you can’t absorb iron properly. This leads to anemia that doesn’t respond well to iron supplements alone. Medical reviews show that up to 40% of celiac patients present with unexplained anemia, frequently as the only sign in adults and children with otherwise mild disease.
Chronic anemia in celiac can also be exacerbated by concomitant malabsorption of folate and vitamin B12, leading to multiple nutrient deficiencies and compounded symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and dizziness.
You might be interested in: When It’s More Than Just Fatigue: Understanding the Intersection of IBS, Iron Deficiency and Anemia
Delayed growth in kids
Children with untreated celiac disease might be shorter than expected for their age or hit puberty later than their peers. The prevalence of delayed puberty among children with celiac disease is estimated at 11–20%, and development typically catches up within 6–8 months of starting a gluten-free diet.
Dental problems
Weak tooth enamel, cavities that keep coming back, or mouth sores can all be signs of celiac disease. The nutrient malabsorption affects your teeth too. Large European studies find that up to 85% of children with celiac disease show enamel hypoplasia or damage compared to less than 20% of healthy controls.
Mouth ulcers may be the only symptom in about 5% of celiac patients and are closely linked to deficiencies in iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12.
How we finally got answers
Getting tested for gluten issues can be frustrating. Here’s what I learned from our experience:
Don’t go gluten-free before testing. I know it’s tempting to try eliminating gluten to see if you feel better, but you need gluten in your system for accurate test results. Medical guidelines recommend eating at least two servings of gluten (about two slices of wheat-based bread per day) for a minimum of 6 weeks before testing; some sources suggest 3–8g of gluten daily for 6–8 weeks to ensure valid results.
Blood tests come first. Your doctor will likely start with blood tests that look for specific antibodies. The main serological markers checked are anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) IgA and deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP) IgG; elevated levels indicate celiac disease when gluten is regularly consumed. These tests work well for celiac disease but might miss gluten intolerance.
The gold standard is a biopsy. For celiac disease diagnosis, doctors often need to look at your small intestine through an endoscopy. Sounds scary, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. Modified Marsh typing is used to grade the tissue damage, with Marsh Type 3 (villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia) considered definitive for symptomatic celiac.
Keep a food diary. Track what you eat and how you feel. Patterns will emerge that can help your doctor understand what’s going on.
Living with the diagnosis
Once we figured out Emma’s celiac disease, the gluten-free transition was actually easier than I expected. There was definitely a learning curve (who knew soy sauce had gluten?), but seeing her energy come back and her stomach issues disappear made it all worth it.
On the bright side, the gluten-free food market has exploded in recent years. You can find decent gluten-free bread, pasta, and even pizza crusts in most grocery stores. Some taste pretty darn close to the original (though I won’t lie – some taste like cardboard :/).
Reading labels becomes second nature. You’ll become an expert at spotting gluten in ingredient lists. Words like “modified food starch” or “natural flavoring” become important clues to investigate.
Trust your gut (Literally)
Looking back, I wish I’d trusted my instincts about Emma’s symptoms sooner. As parents, we know our kids better than anyone (not always, but for the most part). As individuals, we know our own bodies better than anyone else.
If something feels off, it probably is. Gluten intolerance and celiac disease can be master disguisers, showing up as seemingly unrelated symptoms that doctors might brush off as separate issues.
The signs I’ve outlined here are your body’s way of sending up red flags. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s “all in your head” or that you should just “eat more fiber.” This journey might feel overwhelming at first, but you’ve got this. And hey, at least you’ll never have to wonder if that expensive artisan bread is worth it again! 🙂
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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