7th Grade Cooking Class and reactions

[BergieF]

I've just received a call from my daughter's school saying she was not feeling well after cooking class.  I spoke with my daughter and she explained that the teacher sent her outside of the classroom after he opened a big jar of pickles that he said contained gluten...  She said after standing in the hallway for a while she felt sick, like she had ingested gluten.  I know flour can be ingested due to being airborne, but I have never thought that the smell of something like that could cause someone to feel sick.  My only thoughts are that maybe she touched something in the classroom (only desks are in there) and chewed her nail or touched her mouth.  

 

Has anyone heard of being sick after certain smells?  I don't have a very knowledge doctor or I would call and ask him.  

 

Also if this is something that is real does my whole household need to be gluten free?  I too have Celiac Disease.  My two sons are being tested tomorrow to see if they carry the genes and blood work to see if they have active Celiac Disease.  

[cyclinglady]

I seriously doubt there was gluten in the jar of pickles.  There used to be an issue with homemade pickles because you never knew if the vinegar used (if originally derived from wheat) was distilled or not.  Commercial pickles almost always use distilled vinegar.  

Some folks are sensitive to chemical smells.  I don't think it is celiac related.  Maybe she felt sick from being excluded.  I would at 13 years of age.  It's a hard age! 

Now, even if Home Ec was as a requirement for graduation, if your daughter is diagnosed with celiac disease, I would opt out of the class.   Flour settles everywhere and kids make a mess.  It's a gluten nightmare!   Heck, I opted my own kid out (was not a requirement even though it was for me but I am old and girls were expected to learn to sew and cook).  Our Home Ec teacher was a dud.  I wanted my kid to really benefit from her elective classes and the Home Ec (or culinary classes) were not challenging.  So, I taught her at home.  (She can sew too.)  

Making your house gluten free?  That is your choice.  It is possible, but I would think hard.  My hubby had been gluten free since our daughter was born (some 15 years ago).  I was in control of the kitchen always.  But when I was diagnosed, we went 100% gluten free because 1) my health is important and hubby and I need a 100% safe place, and 2) my kid was in the kitchen.  Do I trust her?  She's a kid?  I love her, but really?  

I pack her gluteny things (pre-packaged) in her lunch.  Otherwise, she's gluten free.  I make sure I stop for fast food for her as a treat.  She orders gluten things when she goes out.  I have also sent boxes, eggs and oil to her girlfriend's house to bake.  I do make sure she gets enough gluten daily for 12 weeks prior to getting her tested for celiac disease (which is every few years).  

Again, the choice is yours to make.  My kid is thriving on a whole foods diet.  She is a water polo player and runs track.  So, she lives well being gluten light.  

Me and hubby?  Couldn't be happier.  Once food enters our house.  We know it is gluten free.  So nice to let down your guard.  

[BergieF]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I believe this class will be a dud too....  I met with the teacher and the school about what what daughter can and can't have.  She is pretty knowledgeable about reading ingredients but sometimes I catch her not paying attention to what she has touched and then not washing her hands afterwards...  I might need to take her out of the class, she can learn more at home than she will be able to there.  

 

 

[kareng]

I think I would be worried about a teacher that obviously doesn't know what gluten is.  Never seen pickles with gluten.  Sounds like the teacher just wanted to exclude the kid with the difficult parent? Maybe she probably felt that and the nervousness/anxiety made her feel sick.

[Dijo50]

My daughter is hypersensitive to gluten and other things and does react to smells.  Cut onions generate as strong a reaction as gluten but for maybe half a day, rather than multiple days.  She had to come home one day when the bio lab was looking at onion slices under a microscope.  She is excused from labs/classes if they are handling substances that she reacts to, she cannot eat in the school cafeteria, and she reacts if a kid in her class opens up a bag of chips next to her.  This is not in her head.  Yes, smells and airborne particles can cause reactions.  She also reacts to cross contamination when lines are not dedicated or ingredients are not pure.