Does Having Celiac Affect Your Child's Social Life?

[lailabean]

My daughter is 4 years old and newly diagnosed. I am wondering if this will affect our lives in terms of having people want us to come over for play dates, making new friends, etc. In your experience, has it deterred your child's ability to make and maintain friends? Were the other parents paranoid about inviting your child to playdates, parties, etc? Thanks!

[nikki-uk]

My daughter is 4 years old and newly diagnosed. I am wondering if this will affect our lives in terms of having people want us to come over for play dates, making new friends, etc. In your experience, has it deterred your child's ability to make and maintain friends? Were the other parents paranoid about inviting your child to playdates, parties, etc? Thanks!

Lunchbox, lunchbox, lunchbox!!!!!!

Everywhere my son goes his lunchbox goes too with his own food.

It's becoming familiar to other parents/staff at school/clubs now too. The first thing they say is ''has he got his lunchbox??''

It can feel a bit overwhelming at first and there's potential 'gluten' everywhere at first - I found it hard at first to let my son continue going to clubs/parties...but you can't let this hold them back....it wouldn't be fair

Keep drilling it into your daughter that she's only to eat what Mummy made

Rather than try to explain to other parents what she can + cannot have (that just gets too complicated!) just explain that your daughter's only to eat what she's brought with her.

It is a pain - but celiac disease is for the rest of the lives - gotta deal with it now

Good Luck

[Darn210]

Same for us - whenever my daughter goes somewhere she takes her own snacks (in her lunch box). You might want to let your daughter pick out a fun one that she will enjoy since she will be using it so much.

Some close friends that my kids will visit often are willing to be educated (somewhat). I let them provide some of the easy, prepackaged stuff. They always have microwaved popcorn or fruitchew snacks there. If they have any doubts, they know to call or not to give at all.

At birthday parties, I always tell them when I RSVP that she can't have anything there, she will bring her own cupcake and snack. I tell them not to worry about the goody bag, that I will go through it when she gets home. She knows that she's not suppose to have anything out of it till I give the OK. Some parents are nice enought to ask what's OK so that they can make sure she gets something in there that she can have.

Last year (kindergarten), I took a ziploc bag of goodies into the school with her name on it. The teacher kept it in her cabinet for when there was an unexpected event at the school (or in the classroom) where treats showed up - then my daughter was allowed to pick something out of her bag. It had individually wrapped chips & candy.

Believe me, your daughter will get the hang of it quickly. If somebody asks my daughter if she wants a certain item, she will respond "does it have gluten in it?" She is quickly learning what is safe and what is not and when you have to "go ask mom".

[2kids4me]

My kids are older but we never had a problem...I sent snacks with them and explained they had celiac and what it was (plus son is diabetic)... I always said - if you have fresh fruit and veges - those will be safe, I send crackers if cheese will be out, I just asked "if you are not sure, just check with them". Most parents were more paranoid about him having a low blood sugar.

I found that once they had visited at a friends house a few time s- and they could see everyhting was fine....then no issues.

Matt has a friend that begs me to make gluten-free pizza and his eyes light up when he learns I made choc chip cookies. All I ever told his friends was - " we use a different kind of flour cause we cant have wheat"...I have found kids are more open minded than adults sometimes.

Write down a list of safe choices (fruit / vegs / chees (if she can have dairy). A sentence or two about cross contamination - as in - please use a clean cutting board for cheese and serve it separately from crackers". Celiac is unknown to many people and they are afraid to look stupid and ask questions....... so be open to explaining over and over.

Playdates will be safe and fun that way.

Sandy

[mama2two]

My daughter is 4 years old and newly diagnosed. I am wondering if this will affect our lives in terms of having people want us to come over for play dates, making new friends, etc. In your experience, has it deterred your child's ability to make and maintain friends? Were the other parents paranoid about inviting your child to playdates, parties, etc? Thanks!

my daughter has only been on the diet for a couple months and it has made a difference in her health, but i do worry about how it will affect her socially, i don't want her to feel stigmatized. I don't like saying gluten-free DIET, because, I don't want her to think that she is fat. But I try not to make a big deal of it, and because her dad is on a gluten-free diet also, that may help. We pretty much all follow a gluten-free diet becuase i won't eat something in front of her that she can't have. But eating is a very social thing and anytime we get together will friends and family, they well meaningly offer her food that she can't have, and she often wants it and I try to tell her that it will upset her stomach if she eats it and may ruin tomorrow's plans. I try to have alternative snacks with me so she has other options. She also ask's others if they are on a gluten-free diet, most people don't have a clue what that is. She comments that a gluten-free diet is boring. There are no support groups near where we live, but I would love for her to meet other kids who are on a gluten-free diet too!!!! I want her to know that she is not alone, other kids deal with this issue to. birthday party's for others are hard, because they come up so often, at school they seem to always be celebrating a birthday and so far I try to bake cupcakes for the occasion, I like to bring enough for everyone so that others are sharing with her and vice versa. Let us know how you learn to deal with these issues. others ideas are always helpful.