Newbie Needs Help!

[Bellasmama]

My daughter Isabella was just screened for celiac today. She has had an extremly bloated tummy that gets larger everytime she eats. They did an xray and found is was totally constipated even though she poops everyday. She was totally backed up. They also did some blood work but not all cause her arms are so tiny they couldnt find a good vein. So we wait to see what results we get from what blood they did get. I also had to give her an enema to release some of the back up. The Dr wasnt convience she has celiac but wanted to make sure because of the issues I stated and because she isnt gaining weight. So my question is...I want to try to avoid gluten at all possible...just incase. What regular grocery store items for a 1 yo could I get? I also have a 3 yo daughter that eats anything has no problems so I might have to switch both of their diets...any thoughts or ideas....I saw fritos just scanning some posts....anything else?

TIA!

jamie

[darlindeb25]

What does the little one like? She can have slices of apple, my kids always loved that. There is macaroni and cheese that is gluten free, the macaroni is probably made from rice or corn. There are gluten free cookies, you just have to look harder for them, sometimes the regular grocers have them, sometimes not. Check online for gluten free toddler foods and see what comes up. Good luck!

[Bellasmama]

She eats anything and everything. My daughters are not picky at all...except with veggies!

I dont even know what to look for when reading labels....anyone have a quick refernce list?? I'm SO lost! The dr said to make sure she gets good fiber and bran cereal but isnt that wheat? I'm so confused!

[Juliet]

From the Celiac Disease Foundation website, this is a good place to start:

Open Original Shared Link disease-treatment.php

It has a very, very short list but it points you in the right direction.

Open Original Shared Link

This is a pretty extensive list of foods/ingredients to avoid. There is argument within the community on a couple of items (how much to avoid oats, blue cheese may have been derived by bread but the amount of gluten supposedly is so extremely little it's within safe parameters, distilled vinegar supposedly has no gluten despite what it may be derived from since the distillation process apparently removes it), but it's a good place to start. I personally avoid all oats, but have found that blue cheese and vinegar does not bother my son, and normally the smallest bit of cross contamination will cause him to have really bad diarrhea or vomitting within a couple of hours. But others choose not to have any of these items and for very good reason, too. Once you get more used to the diet, you will see what works for you and your child and what doesn't pretty quickly.

[Kibbie]

my Dr. was diagnosed at 18 months and is 23 months now.

The foods she eats a lot of when snacking:

Tons of fruits

Raisins

Craisins

Gorilla Munch

Perky O's (like Cherrioes but gluten free)

Laura Bars

Occasionally she gets:

M&M's

Candy Conversation Hearts

Enviro Kids Vanilla Animal Cookies