Coeliac disease in a grandchild

I have been coeliac for about 15 years and find the most useful source of information is the coeliac forum members2.boardhost.com/glutenfree/index.html?#1325418211. It is also worth joining the coeliac society for the first few years as they have a good website and loads of info.

Gradually one learns which foods to avoid and, more importantly, which brands of bread, biscuit etc your GD likes. It is a steep learning curve. The other problem is the need to educate close friends and family about what is safe for her. In my experience of a friends coeliac son he learnt at a very early age what he could and couldn't eat. It is often easier to take snacks and treats to friends houses.

The main food manufacturers will often send a box of sample foods for her to try and she should then get what she likes on prescription. Juvenal and Glutafin are two good bread makes.

There are now many shelves in supermarkets with lots of stuff on it is hard to have to rule so many nice things out but there is so much more out there to help We have a local cafe who do lots of gluten free dishes and are totally open to you advising them as to what you need My friend has been coeliac for a long time but seems to have a lot more choice now than she use to I think schildren do learn very quickly what makes them ill my friends son is nut allergic and is very clued up on what he can't have It's a shame when there have to be restrictions but thank goodness it wasn't 20+ years ago

Eating out is easy as the EU brought in a law that restaurants must indicate what is gluten free and what is not. I went to Spain this year and it was so easy.

I was out at an italian restaurant on Monday with a coeliac teenager and there was a special sheet showing all the items on the main menu which were suitab!e. She said the gluten free pasta (penne) was delicious.
I think with younger children parties are tricky but if you warn people in advance it will be catered for. Good luck to you all
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You asked about hassle free feeding. I have always found it easier to make all main family meals completely gluten free. So use cornflour for thickening sauces, only have gluten free sauces in the home, gluten free stock, gravy, sausages, pasta etc. Depending on the family, individual members may want their own bread or cereals for breakfast etc but you don't want to be preparing different meals when feeding all the family. Good luck!

When DD is home I make everything gluten free, it is just so much easier.
Be careful not to put the gluten free bread into the same toaster or to get wheat crumbs on the butter then transfer it to the gf bread.

So glad you have found out at age 7 - she will be spared years of misery now if she keeps to a gf diet.

For special occasions, eg birthday cakes etc, this mix is very good:

www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=284592399

other makes are available and other supermarkets may stock Udi's too!

sorry, that link doesn't seem to be working when I checked, but it is called
Udi's Gluten Free Chocolate Flavour Cake Mix

Thank you everyone. Such helpful information, especially the birthday cake. Recently at school a supply teacher came in and gave out Indian sweets to the children. Poor gd was ill for a week as she did not know she shouldn't eat them. GD was really ill and subsequently missed school. Should my daughter raise this issue with the governors? Surely the supply teacher should have been told if children have special dietary needs. The regular teachers are brilliant though.

Teachers ought not to give children food unless they are conversant with any social dietry requirements. There could have been a child with a nut allergy or similar.

At 7 your GD is now old enough to ask 'is there gluten in this?' so she can alert people to her needs.

Yes, raise this with the HT - the school must have a policy BUT they need to ensure supply teachers are up to the job.