<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
Hi,
I want to thank everyone who replied to my post re: child starting
Kindergarten. I received over 50 replies that were all positively
helpful.
Thank you all very, very much. I truly appreciate the good advice.
Carol in MA
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MY advice:
- compare it to a peanut allergy in the sense that it only takes trace
amounts to set off a reaction.
- don't let them feed her ANYTHING without your approval
More advice: food is a very social thing - people are disappointed when
someone cannot share - you have to learn to forget about sparing their
feelings and say no.
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My daughter was 2.5 when diagnosed and is now 4.5.
She has been in a daycare setting all along. Luckily,
I think she still remotely remember how sick she was
so she really is cautious about what she eats and does
not get into the other gluten food around her. I have
always spent a good amount of time speaking directly
to the teachers about celiac. I have also purchased a
copy of Donna Korn's Kid's With Celiac Disease for the
classroom (I have a copy at home too). I felt the
book was great for me when I was first dealing with
Celiac and I think it is a great resource for the
teachers as well. They use the recipes for play clay
and paper mache (I used to bring in the play clay -but
they thought mine was better so now the whole room
uses our recipe).
The teachers have always given me a heads up if there
is going to be any special projects or special meals -
so I bring in some comprable food for my daughter. I
also keep some treats (M&Ms etc) at school so if there
is an unannounced special treat, my daughter has
something too. The interesting thing in my daughter's
class is that there are a number of kids with other
food allergies: peanut, dairy and eggs. --- SO she
does not feel so different. Every year it is a
re-education process.
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I used to pack 2 lunch boxes for her. One had her snack and one had
her lunch. The Bernstein Bears always had lunch in it and Big Bird
always had the snack.
In grade school the cupcakes for birthday parties or other celebrations
have been an issue. I buy Mi-Del chocolate chip cookies at our local
Whole Foods. I give a bag to the teacher and when there is a party,
Colleen
just has the cookies. A lot of parents ask to be notified when there is
a
b-day celebration, so they can send a GF cupcake or the like. My
daughter has 9 kids in her class and even with that size it is hard to
keep up. So,
if I know, I will send a cupcake or brownie. But, If I do not know the
cookies are there. Plus there are other events. Like someone brings in
a treat because it is a special ethnic holiday for them. Or, a kid is
the star
student and brings a treat for the class to share. I have yet to find a
way to know when all these events will happen. So. again having the
cookies in the classroom is a savior.
CSA has a publication for teachers. It is a small brochure, so it is
easy to read. This makes the teacher aware of things like crumbs,
playdooh,art projects that use flour etc.
The best advice I can give it to make sure you have good communication
with the teacher and that your daughter understands her condition and
what it takes to take care of herself.
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My daughter is in Kindergarten and was diagnosed in September. I meet
with the Vice Principle, School nutritionist, Cafeteria Manager, Teacher,
and teachers helper.
Take in a list of all the things it is in and how it will be listed:
Wheat, barley, oat, rye, malt, modified food starch, etc...
I gave the teacher the book Kids with Celiac Disease by Danna Korn.
Also, take a general definition of the disease and the reactions your
child will have if she gets contaminated by the above ingredient.
I have a sack of items in the classroom, in case there is a snack or
birthday treat she cannot eat. The snacks include gummy juice snacks,
chips, and some candy. I recommend Items that have a long shelf life.
Also, train your child well. Because know matter how much effort you
make someone will try to give them something they cannot eat, like
substitute teachers, music, PE teachers, etc... Kids are smart and they
learn quit, and once she figures out how sick she gets when she eats
these item you will find she is the best one about asking if it has
flour, wheat, etc. in it. My daughter even questions me on items I put
in front of her. Train her how to deal with the matter of when the other
kids in the classroom questions why your child get a different treat then
they have. Because this is the biggest deal. I have a teachers helper
that would rather my child do without than to explain to the other
children why she has a different treat. This has been my biggest battle,
because then my child comes home all upset because she didn't get a
cupcake or an alternative treat. Also, train your child not to make a
big deal about the alternative treat that she gets. Like HA HA HA I got
a piece of candy and all you got was a cupcake.
The last item is to have a good relationship with the cafeteria manager
and make sure all the school cafeteria servers know your child and what
she can eat and not eat. Also, make sure you give her a variety of
different lunches. My child loves salad so they make an exception for
her to eat salad 2-3 days a week. Normally kindergartners are not
allowed to go to the salad bar. Also, our cafeteria manager will make my
child a unbreaded chicken breast on chicken days.
Have the cafeteria manager go over the lunch menu and decide what
combinations your child can and cannot eat and then substitute sack lunch
for the days she cannot eat anything on the menu? For sack lunch I send
in rice crackers, turkey or ham circles, tuna salad w/rice crackers.
Chicken and rice soup in the winter, fruit, Jell-O, cheese sticks,
pickles, chips, and sometimes I make bread and send her in a real
sandwich.
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* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *
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