I Hate Celiac Disease!

[concernedmamma]

One of my boys(Jacob) was diagnosed with Celiac in March of 2010....... positive bloodwork and biopsy. It has been a challenging year. He is EXTREMELY sensitive! School (kindergarten) resulted in many episodes of cross contamination, and many tummy aches, diarrhea and headaches for my boy.

Today we found out his twin brother (Gabe) also has Celiac. This sucks!!!!! We had a mixed house before, but will be going 100% gluten-free now. To make matters even more challenging, Gabe has Down Syndrome. At this point, he won't understand why all his favourite foods are now off limits. He is a skinny little guy, a very picky eater. What has put my mind at ease is that he will eat peanut butter toast in the morning- or all day if I would let him. He LOVES bread, toast, buns, etc. We tried giving him gluten-free bread/toast before and he did not like it at all! He is a large part of the reason that we maintained a mixed household.

I am not a happy momma. I just feel sad for all of the food challenges and choices that they will have to make in the future. I know there is way more available to them now than ever before, but this still bites the big one.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Kim. Mommy to 4 wonderful children- 2 girls age 7 and 2 and twin boys aged 6.

[shadowicewolf]

There are gluten free breads & peanut butter (skippy for example is gluten free).

Well, think of it this way... it could be worse

[kareng]

THought I posted.....wonder where it went.

Sometimes, waiting a couple of weeks helps when switching to gluten-free versions of gluten food. Makes your mouth forget the original stuff.

My 18 year old still likes to put colored sugar sprinkles on his PB toast. Maybe that would make it better?

[suziq0805]

Does Gabe like to be able to choose things he eats? Maybe you could get a couple different types of breads and let him pick which he likes better. I teach and sometimes if I let the kids choose (between 2 options that are ok with me) then I have better luck in getting them to do what I need them to do. Maybe he could help prepare parts of his meal too...maybe if he does it he'll feel some ownership and be more motivated to try it.

[catsmeow]

(((((hugs))))) I am so sorry. You have some tough years ahead of you, no doubt about it. I'm on one year and still struggle, and I am an adult. I cannot imagine how challenging it would be for kids, and their Mommy. I've read a lot of posts concerning kids and birthday parties, teachers, school lunches etc. It sure looks tough. I can tell you really love your children and will be their best advocate for good health and fair treatment!! Stay tough Mama!

Women are like teabags. We don't know our true strength until we are in hot water! ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

[sreese68]

It's tough when you have a picky eating child! I have two of them! (My other two are more open minded.) I've found that my kids do not like any store-bought bread. The only bread I've found that they all eat is King Arthur's gluten-free bread mix. It's easy to make. So maybe a try some bread mixes?

Good luck!

[Leah's Mom]

I totally feel your pain. Have him try Udi's bread . . . it's the closest gluten-free bread we've found to regular (soft and not grainy like other rice breads). On the bright side, I think it's been easier since we went 100% gluten free in our home. No chance of cross contamination (double dipping the butter knife, etc.)and our daughter feels "normal" when at home since we all eat the same thing now. I have been packing school lunches for the last 4 years now (since I can't possibly trust the school cafeteria with gluten-free foods). I hate that there's not much variety in their lunches throughout the week, but I think both my kids have been incredibly healthy since I started doing it . . . no long lasting colds or flus anymore. . . All the kids who eat school lunches are constantly getting sick, but ours don't. It makes me shudder to think what goes on in the school kitchens.

[Laura HaHe]

I feel for you, I am having a hard enough time with one gluten/dairy/soy intolerant child! Are their other foods he likes? My daughter will not eat the gluten free bread (which I understand because it is gross) but loves loves loves gluten free oatmeal with some berries in it, rice noodles, and rice.

[shadowicewolf]

I feel for you, I am having a hard enough time with one gluten/dairy/soy intolerant child! Are their other foods he likes? My daughter will not eat the gluten free bread (which I understand because it is gross) but loves loves loves gluten free oatmeal with some berries in it, rice noodles, and rice.

Gross? Blasphamy the one by pelamas (sp fail?) is very very good. When you can't have it, you learn to like new things.

j/k

[organicmama]

Are you willing to make your own bread? I found a recipe online that I would never be able to distinguish from regular bread that I can post. I'm a few weeks gluten-free, so I haven't lost my taste for regular baked goods. The recipe is CF, SF, and EF too.

[alex11602]

Are you willing to make your own bread? I found a recipe online that I would never be able to distinguish from regular bread that I can post. I'm a few weeks gluten-free, so I haven't lost my taste for regular baked goods. The recipe is CF, SF, and EF too.

Would you please post it? My oldest misses having bread for sandwiches and I haven't been able to find one that was gluten-free/DF/SF/EF, I would really appreciate it.

[organicmama]

Here you go. Hardest part was grabbing all the ingredients. If you like the recipe, I know of a place where you can order teff at a reasonable cost for future use. It's normally pricey in stores.

aprovechar.danandsally.com/?p=228

[ChristyL]

I'm sorry:( I know it's incredibly hard. My daughter was 18 months when she was diagnosed. I have never seen a pickier eater and she was skin and bones when she finally got diagnosed. She was also afraid to eat. My mission was to get her to eat something with a lot of gluten-free calories. I was able to do this with King Arthur gluten-free muffin mix. They are more like little cakes and for awhile it was the only thing she would eat. But it did the trick. You can add all kinds of puree's to them to make yourself feel better:) Once she realized food didn't always hurt, I was able to make her mac-n-cheese (rice noodles, shredded cheeses, butter, milk) and I add peas (and sometimes a cauliflower puree). That's how we got started. She's better now but still very picky. My saving grace is a cookbook called 'Incredible Edible Gluten-Free Food for kids' by Sheri L. Sanderson. I know it's hard. There were days when I thought I was loosing my mind. But it will never be as hard as it is now. You'll figure it out because you have to. That's what moms do:) Good luck to you!

[melikamaui]

I totally understand. My youngest son was diagnosed a year ago, and my oldest just last week. On top of that, I have it too. I went from worrying about one kid, to worrying about both kids and myself! Thankfully we were already 100% gluten-free in the house so very little changes there. I find now that I have to grieve all over again for the loss of a "normal" life for my children.

[mom2m2j]

concernedmamma, I so feel your pain. We received the call from our Pediatrician 2 weeks ago that our 7 year old DD with Downs has Celiac disease. We have been in shock. She is asymptomatic and doesn't really understand why she can't eat her Gold Fish, Cheezit's, Totinos Cheese Pizza, and Chicken Nuggets. We recently moved and were doing the routine blood work, (CBC and Thyroid funtion), the new doc asked if she had ever been tested for Celiac and recommended it since she had not and explained the increased incidence in children with Downs. She has had the occasional "tummy hurts", but what child doesn't. Yes,it could be worse and I know that we have been blessed that she has been so healthy (no heart or other digestive problems), just the typical sinus, ear infections, and occasional strep. This is really rocking our world. She will not touch a slice of bread, roll, cupcake, muffin, or cookie (except for mom's gooey chocolate chip ones).

I was in total denial the 1st week, but after reading info about others being asympotomatic, and that you don't get false positive tests have come around. It is heart breaking to be called "mean mommy" when I have to say no to requests for all the favs. mentioned above, and have cryed myself to sleep several nights the past week. So happy to find this forum! At least I know I'm not alone and can find some suggestions and support. We do not have a local DS support group (closest is an hour away), and I have not been able to find any local celiac disease support groups.

Crossing my fingers that my 1st gluten-free food order arrives today and I can make her a gluten-free pizza that she will actually eat. We tried Red Brick Pizza's version, she ate the cheese & sauce left the crust.

I keep telling myself it has to get better!