Understanding Celiac Disease in Preschoolers

What characteristic of stools would a nurse expect in a preschooler with celiac disease?

A) Loose and watery stools

B) Bloody stools with mucus

C) Foul-smelling, greasy stools

D) Dark-colored, hard stools

Answer:

The stools of a preschooler with celiac disease are most likely to be foul-smelling and greasy.

When a nurse is obtaining health information from the parents of a preschooler with celiac disease, she would expect the characteristic of stools to be foul-smelling and greasy. Celiac disease is a condition that affects the small intestine and is triggered by a reaction to gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains.

This inflammatory response in the small intestine interferes with absorption, leading to symptoms such as weight loss, anemia, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The malabsorption syndrome associated with celiac disease can result in greasy and foul-smelling stools as one of its indicators.

Bloody stools with mucus are usually more indicative of certain types of infectious agents and are not commonly associated with celiac disease. Therefore, the correct characteristic to expect in a preschooler with celiac disease would be foul-smelling and greasy stools.