Going Gluten-Free In Sympathy With Your Kids?

[kb27]

My 8-yr-old son was diagnosed with celiac via blood test. We will be going gluten-free soon (after next GI appt). We have decided to make the whole kitchen gluten-free, at least initially, so that he will have a safe place where he can eat anything. And we don't have to worry about cross-contamination.

I have considered going gluten-free with him at least for a few months, so that he has a buddy in all of this. It doesn't seem like it would be so hard, given that we will be completely gluten-free at home - I just can't partake outside the home either. I tested negative for celiac, and have no big GI issues (just gas and bloating). In other words, I don't have any reason to believe that I have a gluten intolerance.

Is it fine for a non-celiac/gluten intolerant to go gluten-free for awhile? Or do you lose the ability to digest gluten?

Has anyone else gone gluten-free to support your child? Even though you don't have to?

[domesticactivist]

It is totally fine to go gluten-free in solidarity with your child. Our family took that approach and it made a positive impact for our son emotionally and physically. Having a gluten free house makes it much easier to stay safe.

It's good you've already been tested. IMO anyone who plans to go gluten-free should get screened for celiac first. I didn't, and a year later ended up doing a miserable gluten challenge so I could get tested.

People who don't have a problem from gluten don't end up developing one by going gluten free. There are ways other than celiac to be affected by gluten that your tests would not have shown. Some people who don't have celiac even get withdrawal symptoms when cutting out gluten. Some people find that reintroducing gluten exposes problems they have with it. If you cut it out and then experience symptoms from reintroducing it, I think you shouldn't have been eating it in the first place. Many people can go back and forth between gluten free and eating gluten without any problem.

[faithforlife]

Yeah we had 2 families go gluten free for us in support of us and have since realized that they just feel better all around on a gluten-free diet and even began to be able to digest lactose better. So, they are for the most part gluten-free still and it's been almost 12 months! But I've wondered the same question of what are the long term effects of my non celiac kids going gluten-free. The GI told me though that it's just a matter of time before they very possibly develop celiac and that it is crucial they learn the diet and how rigid it is and cope with all the emotions of going without NOW. And who knows their kids some day could get celiac, too.

[Darn210]

I've done a couple of trial diets . . . one for 6 weeks and one for 6 months. I had no problems going off and then back on.

I've done (temporary) gluten free with my daughter at times . . . when it's most difficult for her . . . On vacations or just a trip to a restaraunt. At restaraunts (especially if it's someplace we haven't gone before), I'll get something different from her so if she doesn't like what she got, she can have some of mine.

[missy'smom]

My son and I were both already gluten-free when we learned of his corn allergy. Corn is in everything too. I went corn-free in support of him. He didn't have severe symptoms so it was hard for him to be motivated and I felt it would be so mean to eat corn-chips etc in front of him. I did have canned chicken with cornstarch in it but he has no personal feelings about canned chicken;) LOL. It was something I ate when he was at school-for lunch. I didn't eat out of the house much but if I had and he wasn't with me, I'd have corn containing things-but wouldn't mention it. There were so many gluten-free products that were corn containing that I went without, even though I have so many other restrictions as well. That limited my diet quite a bit more but it was worth it for him and his tested reactivity went down as a result of good avoidance-that won't happen with gluten but can with allergies.

So yes, I encourage you to go gluten-free with your kiddo, keeping in mind the testing issues for yourself that others mentioned.

There are LOTS of gelatin/jello and pudding based and fruit desserts out there that are already gluten-free or easily modified that are good when you are starting out and not ready to jump into gluten-free baking. We made 12+ layer rainbow jello one Christmas instead of cookies and my kid thought it was THE best thing EVER. He's still taking about it a couple years later. There are all kinds of cool mold too-eggs for Easter, a brain mold for Halloween...

[xjrosie]

I have three daughters, two of which have celiac disease. My third daughter just had her bloodwork done yesterday and we're waiting now. But, I have already decided that once my daughter is fully tested for Celiac (at the doctor's discretion) I will be going completely gluten-free in our house. I want at least one place in this world where they can come in and grab anything they want without worry of being sick.

Besides, a gluten-free diet is actually really healthy. It will be more of a benefit than a burden.

[researchmomma]

Great question! I am gluten-free with my daughter who is gluten intolerant (both sides of our family are).

I decided to do it with her so I could feel the peer pressure (you wouldn't believe how many of my friends will say "she won't know if you eat it" ), has an ally and I am interested in finding good tasting food for us both.

That gas and bloating you have may just go away.

What I have found with going gluten free is that I feel better and part of that is because I don't eat things with a label full of random ingredients. Like ice cream for example: cream, sugar, vanilla....done. What is all that other crap?

My daughter and I cook together which is nice. When we go to a restaurant, we figure out what we are going to get that is gluten-free together. Much better than her being different and alone. She loves that I support her in this and my husband supports it too ( I was a little surprised at this but my daughter gets really sick from gluten and he doesn't want to see that side of her).