A Must Read For All Of You With School Age Children!

[darlindeb25]

This was sent to everyone in my celiac support group tonight.

This is a must read for all of you with school age children!

The American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA) has developed and compiled the most accurate and detailed resources to assist parents with school-age celiac students. The information was thoroughly researched and reviewed by experts working in federal nutrition programs, school food service, and disability rights. We learned some very interesting things in the process, such as the South Dakota's Wellness Plan for Schools references the need to accommodate special diets and celiac sprue and Connecticut's manual

'Accommodating Special Dietary Needs' states that food service must accommodate for severe medical conditions and lists celiac disease.

The new ACDA webpage responds to the most common questions, directly.

For instance, 'Does the Americans with Disabilities Act define celiac disease as

a disability? Answer: No, it never mentions celiac disease. It also seeks to dispel myths - "a 504 plan is necessary for a child with celiac disease to obtain gluten-free lunches." No, it is not. A school may require a 504 plan, not all of them do.

The new school page also includes detailed resources, including:

- a Model 504 plan developed in conjunction with the Disability Rights

Educational Defense Fund (DREDF);

- a Sample physician statement, prepared with assistance from a leading celiac specialist;

- State specific physician forms;

- State specific information about special diets at school;

- a Sample gluten-free Lunch Menu; and

- Much more!

All materials are now online at www.americanceliac.org/studentscd.htm .

The information is designed to assist parents, teachers, administrators and

food service personnel. We know that you will find the information extremely helpful.

As always if you have any questions or need assistance in working with

your child's school please contact the ACDA. Thank you.

Beth Hillson

President

American Celiac Disease Alliance

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Thanks, Deb! (darlin)

[Breila]

I've read most of the ADA, and with the exception of situations that it does NOT cover, I don't recall the act mentioning ANY specific disability. A disability is defined as such:

a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one

or more of the major life activities of such individual;

Everything I have read indicates that eating is a major life activity, and I would tend to agree, and the general consensus from what I've seen is that celiac is covered under the ADA as a result.

While I agree technically their statement that

... it never mentions celiac disease.

I think it is misleading. Just IMO.

Additionally, the USDA Food and Nutrition service website states:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) nondiscrimination

regulation (7 CFR 15b), as well as the regulations governing the National

School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, make it clear that

substitutions to the regular meal must be made for children who are unable

to eat school meals because of their disabilities, when that need is certified

by a licensed physician.

Again, I think that while the specific word celiac is not used on that website, this statement would certainly cover celiac, do you not agree?