Pity Party/ College Search

[shadowicewolf]

celiac IS considered a disability by the ADA. Go to the disability office of said school and talk to them first, if you have a problem (once enrolled), go to them. That is what they are there for, to assist those with diabilities.

Would you not have to have a 504 plan for a person with food allergies? Would you not have to report that as well "just in case"?

Really, before you make up your mind, contact each schools DA office.

I'm very much used to dealing with disability offices and such

[AzizaRivers]

I can see that you're at your wit's end about this. I don't have any advice--frustration with my university's lack of knowledge or accommodation was one of the reasons I resorted to living at home after the first 2 years. I just wanted to say that I've been there, and it sucks. It's hard to go too far away because then you've got travel costs during breaks, and it makes your head explode when schools simply WON'T do what they would be able to do if they were willing.

[ryebaby0]

celiac IS considered a disability by the ADA. Go to the disability office of said school and talk to them first, if you have a problem (once enrolled), go to them. That is what they are there for, to assist those with diabilities.

Would you not have to have a 504 plan for a person with food allergies? Would you not have to report that as well "just in case"?

I am not here to belabor the point, but for the edification of anyone else who will have to do this:

IF a school is providing gluten free food --- any amount of it, any kind of it, even if they say "you can have a salad every meal for four years" or even if they say "we label all our food clearly" and the labels serve to tell you there's nothing safe to eat ---- if a school is doing ANY of that, the disabilities office sends me to food service, who shows me what they are "doing" and that is that. I have been told TWICE via that route that if I find that inadequate, my child should go somewhere else. Or stay home. Yes, they suggested he commute as a solution to their unwillingness to treat celiacs like people who might not want to have the same !@#$%@ food every lunch for four+ years.

I am aware ADA includes celiacs. So are the universities. I am venting (okay,now I'm ranting!) about how much effort it takes to get them past "letter of the law" and into "how can we help you feel at home/not starve"

[cyberprof]

I am not here to belabor the point, but for the edification of anyone else who will have to do this:

IF a school is providing gluten free food --- any amount of it, any kind of it, even if they say "you can have a salad every meal for four years" or even if they say "we label all our food clearly" and the labels serve to tell you there's nothing safe to eat ---- if a school is doing ANY of that, the disabilities office sends me to food service, who shows me what they are "doing" and that is that. I have been told TWICE via that route that if I find that inadequate, my child should go somewhere else. Or stay home. Yes, they suggested he commute as a solution to their unwillingness to treat celiacs like people who might not want to have the same !@#$%@ food every lunch for four+ years.

I am aware ADA includes celiacs. So are the universities. I am venting (okay,now I'm ranting!) about how much effort it takes to get them past "letter of the law" and into "how can we help you feel at home/not starve"

Yikes! I feel your pain as my son starts next week. When a normal student is looking for a school, it is overwhelming -costs, scholarships, aid, location, majors. It's hard enough to pick a school without the added celiac problems. Can you imagine eating only salad and hamburger patties for a year as some schools have suggested? Or paying for a meal plan and not getting to eat safely? Plus add in my son's dairy intolerance. And my son is 6'2" and 145 pounds so he still needs to gain weight so he eats 4-5 meals a day.

My son ended up picking to the University of Washington, not his first choice but we are 30 minutes away so he can live in the dorms and come home for food or we can bring him food. They don't make you buy the whole meal plan so no wasted money. And they allow a microwave and fridge in the room. He is going to eat salads, eggs, plain meats and veggies from the cafeteria and he'll have a stash of food in his room: pre-cooked rice, canned tuna, chili and soups, hot dogs (nitrate free!), beef jerkey, lunchmeat, thai kitchen rice noodles, gluten-free pretzels, corn chips, gluten-free cookies, corn chex and rice krispies, almond milk, canned pears and peaches, applesauce. He's in walking distance of a supermarket (this is not true at many schools). He has the number of the gluten-free pizza place memorized. I'm going to make him a supply of granola bars. If it is too hard, he'll get on the list for a dorm with a kitchen or we'll figure something else out. Good luck to Ryebaby's kid amd feel free to rant.

[cyberprof]

Just a follow-up to Ryebaby and as an FYI to anyone who reads this message while searching the forum later:

My son (undiagnosed but with a doctor's note about gluten sensitivity) moved into the dorms at the University of Washington Seattle yesterday. He's discovered that there are gluten-free labels on each entre/side that are gluten-free and each meal has at least one gluten-free entree. So our backup plan of chili and canned fruit in his room is less of a worry!

Now this might not work for someone supersensitive but for him it will work. No asking questions, no special plan.

Tonight he had shrimp pad thai and was the happiest kid. He texted me to let me know that he was getting enough to eat! I'm relieved too. Wish all schools would do this.

[ryebaby0]

There's a post on collegeconfidential.com about celiac and college that has turned up Vassar (has a cafeteria called Peace of Mind, for allergic/celiac students) Boston U (with many gluten-free options and the plans for a gluten-free dining area underway) and UMichigan (or maybe Michigan State, I get them confused) which has an extensive gluten-free program. That .pdf:

Open Original Shared Link

I will try and add the CC link when I figure out how!!

Open Original Shared Link

(I think that worked