AN INVESTIGATION ON THE PROBLEMS IN MEETING SOCIO-BIOLOGICAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH CELIAC DISEASE IN THE SCHOOL: A CASE STUDY

Although cereal products are the most important food sources in all countries and so are important to human beings, the gluten substance found in cereals such as wheat, barley and rye can cause chronic small bowel diseases in individuals with genetic predisposition. This disease is called as 'celiac', which causes deterioration of the natural structure of the small intestine by taking food containing gluten. The only treatment method is the gluten-free diet, which can be a lifelong diet. Celiac disease patients not only suffer from dietary difficulties but also meeting their social and biological needs in different settings such as home, school and in society. In our country, the researches about meeting the social-biological needs in schools of the students with celiac disease are very limited. Therefore, in this study, it was aimed to reveal the socio-biological problems faced by the children in the elementary school age who have to follow a gluten-free diet. In this direction, a 'case study method' was used to determine the problems that a child with celiac disease in primary school is experiencing in meeting the social and biological needs in the school environment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the students, parents and teachers in the study, and the data obtained from the interviews were analyzed by content analysis. According to the research findings, it was reached that the students have problems in finding gluten free products at the school, participating in the organized social activities, and sharing the situation with their friends. It was concluded that school administrators and teachers need to be more sensitive about the measures to facilitate the life of the students by increasing their awareness level