More Ingredient Confusion

[robbiesmom]

What is Semolina? Is it wheat based ? Also, are Caramel Coloring and flavoring okay-I think I read it is corn based. I want to check due to the syrup we have.

Thanks! Sara

[Jnkmnky]

https://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid...-57105571577.e0

Use this to check the things you're unsure of.

[Merika]

Hi Sara,

Semolina is wheat and a no-no for celiacs. Caramel color/flavor could be corn or wheat or something else. There is no way to really know unless you call the manufacturer. I have heard that Kraft will put in parentheses what their caramel is from, but most places don't list it.

Hth,

Merika

[KaitiUSA]

Kraft and some other brands that are listed on here will not hide anything even under otherwise questionable ingredients. They will list wheat,rye,barley,oats right on the label or they will be safe.

As for Caramel Color...most of the time in the US it is fine but you do have to check on it(unless it is a brand that will not hide anything)

Semolina is NOT safe for us at all.

Those brands that won't hide anything are listed on this site many times. Let me know if you can't find it. I can post it on here or email it to you.

[tarnalberry]

semolina is a particular type of wheat that is particularly useful for pastas. definitely out for gluten-free diets.

[robbiesmom]

Thanks-I will have to look up a few things with caramel color and flavor-we have great value brand maple syrup-I was able to get to the list of good and bad foods-thank you. I printed them out and I am going to give them to Robbie's grandparents and teachers so they are more aware. Sara

[VydorScope]

Thanks-I will have to look up a few things with caramel color and flavor-we have great value brand maple syrup-I was able to get to the list of good and bad foods-thank you. I printed them out and I am going to give them to Robbie's grandparents and teachers so they are more aware.  Sara 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THats is a good idea, and I encourage it, but.. and you might not like what Im about to say, but as a parent of a toddler with celiac disease I can tell you its reality... you can not trust anyone, not ANYONE but yourself and spose in this matter. Esply not teachers that often have way to many kids to watch at once. Till he is old enough to understand and refuse food, you are his primary defense. Educate everyone... but then double check on them constantly. It is not that they do not care.... its just if you do not live with this day in and day out constantly its easy over look things. There are so many "hidden" ways to get gluten. For example... one child play with playdough on the kitche table, then your child comes along and puts his food there to eat... he just got GLUTENED. It has only been a coupple months for us.. but we already have had to change the dayschool where our son went once or twice a week... even though they swore up and down they understood and all that, he had problems EVERY time he went there. So far so good at his new location, and he seems to like it there.

Hang in there, your not alone, many many great ppl here will do all they can to help you!

[Jnkmnky]

I second Vydor's response. I have a celiac disease kid who's 7 now. He was dx @ 4 yrs old. I've done pre-school, kinder *2times, and going into first this fall. No one EVER quite understands this disease. There is so much food and drink coming in and out of classrooms these days. On a whim, parents will send in "special treats" for all the kids, a substitute will hand out treats, the lunch lady will hand out treats, speech teachers hand out treats. It never ends.

The only policey I recommend to you is to tell the staff, the teachers, the principal, the music teacher, the art teacher, the librarian, the P.E. teacher and anyone else coming in contact with your child, this..... " I do NOT give you permission to feed my child ANYTHING. No drinks either, only WATER. NOTHING,"

This is the only instruction regarding C.D. that makes sense to people who have no interest in C.D. And before you try to convince yourself that these teachers and administrators are wonderful, loving, concerned people, let me put it in real terms for you. They have anywhere from 500-1000 children a year walk through those doors in the fall...every fall. They do not have the ability to learn the obstacle course that is the daily reality of a child with C.D. Look at how much effort and time YOU'RE putting in!! The school staff cannot do this and does not even have the time to learn what you can compile in a short-list of FAQ's. Just keep it simple and tell them he has an auto-immune disease called Celiac Disease which is the friendly cousin of such horrible auto-immune diseases as R.A., Lupus, etc. Give them a brief overview of C.D., tell them you do not expect them to become well versed in the disease as it took you several months to grasp it yourself and you realize you will be learning for years . Tell them they do not have permission to feed your child anything. The minute they ask you if the child can have "fruit", blah, blah, blah..... Tell them they are not allowed to make judgement calls over food for your child. Provide them with a box of assorted gluten free treats. Explain that when there is a need for a food treat, your child is to take something from this box. I also laminate a brightly worded card for the teacher to post near her desk. It says my child's name and says GLUTEN FREE. It is for any other adult who may come into the classroom to see. I tell all the other parents that my son is not to eat any food provided by them. I don't bother to explain the details of C.D. though I say he has it. Some ask later for the details. Most do not.

The less responsibility you give the school, the better for your child. Also, teach your child to never accept food from anyone. Not from another student and not from an adult. I taught my child not to ask anyone else if a food is gluten free as I don't expect anyone else to understand what that means. Kids will trust adults. One of my good friends is married to a Dr. When my son was dx, she went home and baked him whole wheat blueberry muffins..."because they're healthy" she said. I love her, she loves my son, but even after hyper-explanations of the disease, she just didn't get it. My other friend is married to a pediatritician and he STILL says C.D. is rare. People just don't get it.

[VydorScope]

Thats a good point, I should mention that with his new school I dont bother giving them much info, I merely tell them "He has LOTS of problems with food, and the ONLY food he is alowed ot have is whats in his bag. Only let him eat/drink form there." That and I provide gluten-free playdough to replace thier stock with. We also have a bright neon green sticker that the school provides that goes on his back so that if theres a teacher swap they know theres an issue.

[Jnkmnky]

Vydor, the sticker on the back policy is excellent! It's a great idea for the pre-school, kinder set. I wish I'd known about that. Our preschool was open to ideas like that because they had so many kids with peanut allergies and mine with C.D. I may go down there today and suggest that idea.