<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
My son is now in 6th grade. March will be 10 years that he's been
gluten-free. When he was in pre-school, I always put a sticker on his
back--especially if he was going into a situation where the leaders would
change half way through the day. It was just a visual reminder for them to
think. I also sent a letter to school each year to all his teachers and
administrators. (I've attached his kindergarten letter at the end of this
email.) By the time Kevin got to Kindergarten, he pretty much understood
that he had to limit himself to food that I sent for him. If the teacher
gave him something, he would ask if it was OK. (She had a list of safe
snacks.) I believe that empowering Kevin with knowledge about his diet has
been vital. He now knows better than I do what snacks are ok and what are
not.
As far as your child being singled out...he/she will be. There is no way
around that. But the other kids are great about it! I heard a child the
other day ask Kevin is he could have something. And some time back another
child asked what Kevin could have because she was bringing snacks and she
wanted Kevin to be able to have it. (And a stash of safe snacks with the
teacher helps a lot!)
Good luck!
Tracey
Mom of Kevin 12 yo w/Celiac
Kevin has a medical condition called Celiac Disease. Because of this, I
wanted to put in writing some of the issues that you will need to be
familiar with to help keep him healthy this year.
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune condition that causes the body to destroy
the lining of the small intestine when gluten is consumed. Gluten is a
protein found in wheat, rye, barley (malt), and oats. The only way to
manage this disease is through total elimination of gluten from his diet.
Gluten is hidden EVERYWHERE. Gluten-containing ingredients may even be
included as "natural flavors" on food labels. For this reason, I must
insist that Kevin not be given any kind of snack or food, including drinks,
that I have not approved beforehand or sent for him. Fresh fruits and
vegetables and 100% fruit juices are fine. I've also attached a list of
safe foods. I would be happy to check into any others that you would like
me to. I will also be happy to provide gluten-free treats for your treat
jar (if you keep one). I will try to keep several cookies and cupcakes in
the Teacher's Lounge freezer that can be used if someone brings cookies or
cupcakes for a birthday.
Also, just to let you know, even if you see Kevin eating something that
looks like "normal" food, it may or may not be. For example, I buy special
pretzels that do not have gluten. They look like regular pretzels, but they
are not. So please don't assume that he can have "regular" pretzels just
because you have seen him eat pretzels that look like "regular" pretzels.
The same goes for other foods (e.g., hot dogs, crackers, etc.). Only
certain brands/kinds of foods are gluten free even though they look like
"regular" food.
I plan to send Kevin's lunch everyday. If he does forget his lunch
sometime, it is IMPERATIVE that I be contacted to bring his lunch.
There is also gluten in everyday classroom activities. Playdoh is one. I
would be glad to supply gluten free Playdoh for the whole class or provide
the rice flour to be used to make the Playdoh. Because of Playdoh getting
under fingernails (and then into mouths), I am not comfortable with him
playing with commercial Playdoh.
Another possible problem is doing projects like stringing cereal for bird
feeders or necklaces, etc. I don't object to these projects; however, it
will be necessary for Kevin to wash his hands and clean his workarea after
these projects. If you plan to do any cooking projects (e.g. blueberry
muffins, pancakes, etc.), I would like to be notified so we can see if we
can make substitutions that will be acceptable for Kevin.
One other hidden gluten is the glue in stickers, stamps, and envelopes. If
you use any "lickable" supplies, Kevin will need to use a wet sponge/paper
towel, or I can provide an envelope sponge.
If Kevin does get some gluten he will probably not have any noticeable
reaction. If he does react, it will probably be in the form of having
diarrhea, stomach cramping/upset, or vomiting. It should not be any kind of
anaphylactic reaction.
If any questions arise during a school day, you may contact me either at xxx
(home) or xxx (cell phone), or Alan at xxx. If we are not available, please
err on the side of caution and don't let Kevin have the questionable food or
drink. If you tell Kevin that something has gluten in it, he almost always
easily accepts that he can't have it. (He is quite knowledgeable and
accepting of his diet.)
I, of course, would be more than happy to discuss this further with you if
you have any questions or concerns. And I'd be glad to work with you to
resolve any issues. I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I appreciate
your help in managing this!
Here's a list of snack suggestions that will be safe for Kevin. I hate that
I have to specify brand names, but these are ones that I am sure of. If you
have other ideas, let me know, and I'll see if I can find a suitable brand.
Any fresh fruits or vegetables
Sunmaid raisins
Del Monte canned fruits
**JIF Peanut Butter-if you want to use it for dip for carrots or celery or
whatever
Chips: Plain Fritos (including scoops), Cheetos, Regular Lays, Regular
Ruffles, Tostitos (100% white corn, Bite Size, Crispy Rounds, or
Restaurant Style)
Jell-O brand - All flavors sugar-sweetened dry gelatin mixes, all flavors
sweetened ready-to-eat gelatin snacks. Including Jello Jigglers
Kraft brick-style Natural Cheddar cheese (mild, medium, or sharp)
Tootsie Rolls
Dubble Bubble bubble gum
M&Ms
Hershey's Kisses
Smarties
Skittles
Starbursts
Butterfingers
Baby Ruths
Reese's Peanut Butter cups
Any Newman's Own Microwave Popcorn
**If you want to do peanut butter, it will need to be a new jar. Any jar
that has been used to make sandwiches will have bread crumbs in it and will
cause problems for Kevin
* Cel-Kids Web Page: http://www.enabling.org/ia/cel-kids *
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