Question For Parents With School Age Kids

[Smunkeemom]

My four year old goes to half day preschool, she eats breakfast at school, she had a pos blood test but a neg biopsy, her sister was pos on both. The four year old and I have decided to take her completely off gluten for 1 year and see if she feels better (her sister has been gluten-free for a year now so Kathryn fully understands the constraints of the diet) she isn't having 'bathroom symptoms' but does have cramping, fuzzy thoughts, and seems to be losing weight, she also has insomnia from the tummy cramps.

now on to my question, she likes eating breakfast at school with her friends, does the school have to provide gluten-free food for her, or do they just have to make accomodations, what kind of accomodations?

we will really only have this problem for about 6 months because we have decided to homeschool next year, but I don't want to mess up her breakfast time, and she doesn't want to eat gluten anymore. There are not gluten-free choices available already at school now basically it is 'choose cereal or a doughnut' and sometimes they have english muffins

[Jnkmnky]

You can provide the gluten-free breakfast, and she can eat it at school. If it's a private school that you're paying to go to, you may see if you can negotiate the cost of the included breakfast out of the tuition. They are not obligated to provide your child a breakfast and may tell you to deal with the cost. If it were a public school, open to all and funded by the govt and taxes, you could expect them to feed your child a gluten-free breakfast.

[Smunkeemom]

You can provide the gluten-free breakfast, and she can eat it at school.  If it's a private school that you're paying to go to, you may see if you can negotiate the cost of the included breakfast out of the tuition.  They are not obligated to provide your child a breakfast and may tell you to deal with the cost.  If it were a public school, open to all and funded by the govt and taxes, you could expect them to feed your child a gluten-free breakfast.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it is a public school and they are definatly funded by the govt. they even get special govt. grants because of thier literacy rate and such, so who do you think I talk to about this, the prinicpal, or the school board, I don't want to accidentally go over someone's head or make problems, I am just trying to keep things as normal as possible for her.

[Jnkmnky]

it is a public school and they are definatly funded by the govt. they even get special govt. grants because of thier literacy rate and such, so who do you think I talk to about this, the prinicpal, or the school board, I don't want to accidentally go over someone's head or make problems, I am just trying to keep things as normal as possible for her.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Principal. If you do this, you will have the additional headache of making sure the food is gluten free, prepared in a way that is 100% safe... no crumbs, clean hands, etc. My experience has been to provide the meal. My kid went to a private preschool with a meal provided by the school. I had to supply the snack as they did NOT have to provide it. They would not negotiate the cost of the food I was providing, saying it was minimal at best... of course, they charged tuition like the meal cost an arm and a leg!! But I'm not really complaining. It was and is a fabulous preschool. I was very happy to send two of my kids there.

I do NOT ask my public school to supply a gluten free version of lunch for my child now. It would be too much of a PAIN to ensure the safty of the food prep area, educate the cafeteria staff *these are not highly skilled people*, as well as the initial hurdle of getting the school to comply with the disability laws in the first place. I think that if you've only got 6 months to go.... well, you could spend a good half of that time working out the kinks. I'd send in a baggie of gluten free cereal or a Glutino Cereal bar or a Kinnkinnick donut. The accomodations would be the sum total of a seat at the breakfast table. I think that's the safest, sanest way to go if you've only got 6 months left.

[Guest nini]

there is a "section 504 form" where you can apply for and request special accommodations, for a child with "special needs" but to me that implies a disability that they do not have. I'd just as soon send her food and know that it's safe than to try to worry about safe preparation of her food.

You can pre pack different gluten-free cereals in small ziplock bags, she can purchase a milk and get a clean bowl and spoon to have cold cereal, you can send all kinds of fruit cups, or fresh fruit, get Kinnickinick donuts and send 1/2 donut with milk money (1/2 donut is more than enough even for an adult, they are very filling).

My daughter eats breakfast at home and then takes her lunch. She buys a milk there but that's it. I don't trust the school cafeteria's to know what they are doing when it comes to cross contamination issues and hidden ingredients, etc... not worth the headache in my opinion.

[Smunkeemom]

Thank you for the advice. I sat down with the principal today and we talked about Kathryn's new diet and what her needs would be. She is going to do some research and also sit down with me and the school nurse, kathryn's teacher and the cafeteria manager later this week. This week she would like for me to bring breakfast/snacks for Kathryn, but after that they have a special budget for kids with special diets that the PTA provides and she will keep 2 or 3 kinds of gluten-free cereal in stock for Kathryn that I specify and clean disposable bowls that are for her only. She is going this weekend to the health food store to pick up gluten-free animal crackers for her, and is interested in any more information I can provide since next year we will have to figure out lunches, and Annika will be there for PreK and breakfast. I will have to sit down with everyone and explain everything but the principal has a milk allergy so she is fully understanding of Kathryn's needs for special diet. I think I will still have to be very involved in Kathryn's diet at school but it is good to know that they are going to be on my side (I have heard many horror stories about schools that were unwilling to help accomodate at all)

[tarnalberry]

Sounds like they're really willing to work with you. Good luck! :-)

[Guest nini]

That's great that they are going to try to work with you.

[junieb]

Hi! A 504 can insure that your child's needs are taken seriously and sometimes this pushes the staff to pay a bit more attention. It's kind of like a legal backup for you. There are many things that could lead a child to having a 504. It makes sure you have a team of administrators meeting with and listening (hopefully) to you and the info that you bring from your drs.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I wish I had that form filled out while I was in school and am glad my brother did. Some teachers are not understanding about bathroom breaks and needing to see the nurse often especially during tests and certain lectures (when older). This disease, at times, makes us very different from those around us and we need special care. It would be easier to send your daughter to school with her own gluten-free versions of the foods her friends are eating. It will help her get used to that and it will be normal to her.