<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

The overwhelming majority thinks:
1. A child experiencing the effects of accidentally-ingested gluten should be at home, not at school.
2. The parent, not representatives of the school system, is the best judge of whether or not a child in this condition should be at school.
3.  If this happens often, a parent should review strategies to ensure that the child strictly adheres to a gf diet.

Some comments, including alternate views, are as follows:

From a parent:   I believe that it has to be an individual choice.  You as a parent must guide that choice and carefully assess whether you child's condition warrants time out from school...My own rule of thumb faced with a similar situation is 1) Can the child benefit in any way from being at school (is s/he capable of learning under the circumstances?) and 2)what are the consequences of missing school?  If the child is miserable and can't learn anything, or the suffering from being in school is untenable, and the chief consequence is the chagrin of the principal or the teacher, then to me, the child should stay home.  If it is borderline whether the child can learn under the circumstances and the suffering is manageable (which depends on the child's age and temperament) and the consequences is being held back a grade.., then the child goes to school.  I am sure that every situation is different , every child is different, and there are mitigating circumstances in every case...If th...


From a parent:    Whe we have accidentally ingested gluten, we find that not eating anything until the intestinal distress passes is essential.  We also take benadryl as soon as possible  We do not miss school for this, though we usually want to.  Our best (solution) is to avoid accidental gluten ingestion.


From a teacher:   I say, and I know other teachers agree with me, that when your child is sick, stay home.  They are just miserable in class, and really need to be at home near their own bathroom, and sleeping, etc.  In the beginning of the year, the child should find a "study buddy" so that when he or she is sick that person can take notes, get assignments, bring home books, etc.


From an adult:   I have only had one attack since I was diagnosed...but there is no way in the world I could have gone to work

From a parent:  I had to think about your question about the future and what we are teaching them.  I think for now with my 5 year old,  he gets sooooooo sick when he gets gluten or for that matter other allergens that I will keep him home until he gets older and things get better.  


Several families homeschool:

My children are homeschooled, but I find attendance and motivation are very low when they are physically down.

Some folks around here that have their autistic children on gf-cf diets have had to homeschool their children, because they simpley cannot function with breathing gluten at school.  I have the same problem, so I have to agree with their actions.

For my part, I'm glad I took (my middle-school) son out of school; he's 22 and healthy now.  And I have homeschooled my youngest, now 13, all his life.  We even have a group of homeschooled friends who are gluten free also, and we have great birthday parties and sleepovers with less concern.  The homeschooled community in general is more tolerant in individual quirks (like funny diets) and we have a great new bunch of friends.  

From a parent:   I dare any school official to say I am not doing the best possible thing for my son at all times!  If they want to get on my nerves, I can require that they feed him safe foods as require by the Americans with Disabilities Act, but I send him to school with his own lunch.

From a parent:  As a result of my daughter's (previously) incorrect diagnosis, she missed so much school and had to come home many, many days.  We ran into the same attitude from the school nurse.  I got her a cell phone...and she would call me when she began to feel sick, without going to the school nurse.  I'd come to school to pick her up and make us some reason, such as a dr. appt.. and sign her out.

From a school psychologist:  ...according to federal law any child who has a medical condition who requires some adaptation of anything in the school day, that they need to have, that will allow the child to have access to the full school program, (that) must be provided...If there is a physician's order that would be what would have to be followed. 

Another parent suggested alerting teachers at the beginning of the year as to what to expect.  If the child goes to school not feeling their best, write a note to the teacher explaining what the child needs that day in order to help the child and help the teacher do their job best. 


Thanks to all for your time and support in responding to this issue. I am strengthened, as a mom, to hold out for what I believe is best.  My children are strictly following the gf diet, so I believe we are similar to one parent who wrote "It's not the wheat or gluten that does us in--it's the other food allergies."  but that's for another post... 

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