well son's biopsy came back celiacs...
Replies
-
Cold roast chicken drumsticks, with some cut up veggie sticks and ranch dip (I think we call it sour cream and chive over here)
Gluten free pitta breads with turkey/ham/cheese/salad, whatever fillings are his favourite.
Rice cakes or GF crackers with cheese or hummus
"Meat wraps" where you use a slice of ham or turkey (check its gluten free before buying) to wrap around a cheese stick and some sliced veggies, shredded carrot, sliced cucumber, whatever, you can add a bit of mayo or something like that and secure them with a cocktail stick.
Why not try online shopping? I use goodnessdirect, which is an online wholefood retailer in the UK, but I'm sure there would be a Canadian equivalent type thing. It can be cheaper, as you can buy bigger packs of things like gluten free flour. There is also a brand called Amys Kitchen, which is American I think and they do gluten free ready meals, stuff like bean and cheese burritos, mac and cheese, enchiladas, some of them are really good.
Get on to gluten free blogs for recipe ideas - Gluten Free Goddess has some great recipes, also the Primal Kitchen, she has great ideas for lunches where you don't need to be able to access the GF substitutes. I don't know if Canada has the equivalent of the Coeliac UK charity, but join it if you have one, and you will get recipes, advice and support for your son's new lifestyle.0 -
I make my son's lunch EVERY day. He's extremely picky, and it makes it hard. He's also dairy free, so its even more restricted, plus we're allergic to oats and buckwheat, which just makes it even more fun!
It's time to literally think outside the box. Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, meat, rice, there's a plethora of gluten free flours out there. He won't lose vitamins from not eating bread - scoff at those people who tell you that! You know why wheat bread has *so many vitamins*?? It's because the companies PUT THEM THERE because the majority of people don't eat enough fruits and veggies to get them elsewhere. Seriously. If you're that concerned, give him a multi-vitamin.
For one, lose the bread. Maybe once or twice or week make a sandwich (Udi's is our favorite). OH, and remember, if not everyone is GF - you need separate peanut butter, butter, anything that's in a jar that you have to scoop out? Have a separate one. You might not notice damage from cross contamination, but you better believe that its there. And it WILL hurt in the long run. You have to think of long term effects here. He's not going to be a kid forever, and isn't a goal as a parent to make sure that our kids are healthy, and become healthy adults? Isn't that why we're on this site??
OK, so here's some ideas:
2 Hard boiled eggs
String cheese
Carrot sticks
Celery with PB (or Sunflower seed butter)
Ham and cheese roll ups (Just lunch meat rolled with cheese)
Leftovers from dinner
Soups, Stews in a thermos
Lettuce wraps
corn tortillas
Sometimes I make little pizzas on the tortillas, they don't turn out too bad!
For birthday parties (at houses or at school) I make him a special cupcake. I taught myself how to decorate them and they are AWESOME.
You CAN make anything gf. It just take a little imagination. I wish I could post a pic of the kids' cake that I made (Perry the Platypus! This year it was the Avengers!). There are SO many foods that are naturally GF.0 -
Oh, rice cakes. We got these a lot before I had to go grain free. Topped with peanut butter and bananas. Mmmmm.Also in small town Canada, no cool stores to shop at.
Rice cakes, rice crackers, gluten free pretzels (Safeway sells them), muffins, salad, chicken noodle soup with rice pasta, you can also buy boxed gf mac and cheese.
Be careful with lunch meat, some contains gluten, but there are safe ones too. I always use leftover chicken, turkey, roast beef/pork for my families lunch whenever possible. Either to top salads, make wraps or sandwiches. Or at home just reheated.
Does he like pizza? Bobs Redmill pizza crust is delicious.
My daughter (not gf) likes to take a muffin, a veggie, a fruit and some crackers for lunch. It doesn't have to be a sandwich etc to make a meal.0 -
Oh, and don't forget rice tortillas if he likes wraps. The texture is a bit different though. And hard taco shells if he likes tacos at dinner. They are corn. And delicious.
rice tortillas? never heard of them or seen them....0 -
Rice wraps? I'm not totally sure what to call them actually. Just like a wheat tortillas but made of rice. The only place I've seen them here are Safeway in the aisle with the Asian foods. The soysauce, rice noodles etc.0
-
I make my son's lunch EVERY day. He's extremely picky, and it makes it hard. He's also dairy free, so its even more restricted, plus we're allergic to oats and buckwheat, which just makes it even more fun!
It's time to literally think outside the box. Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, meat, rice, there's a plethora of gluten free flours out there. He won't lose vitamins from not eating bread - scoff at those people who tell you that! You know why wheat bread has *so many vitamins*?? It's because the companies PUT THEM THERE because the majority of people don't eat enough fruits and veggies to get them elsewhere. Seriously. If you're that concerned, give him a multi-vitamin.
For one, lose the bread. Maybe once or twice or week make a sandwich (Udi's is our favorite). OH, and remember, if not everyone is GF - you need separate peanut butter, butter, anything that's in a jar that you have to scoop out? Have a separate one. You might not notice damage from cross contamination, but you better believe that its there. And it WILL hurt in the long run. You have to think of long term effects here. He's not going to be a kid forever, and isn't a goal as a parent to make sure that our kids are healthy, and become healthy adults? Isn't that why we're on this site??
OK, so here's some ideas:
2 Hard boiled eggs
String cheese
Carrot sticks
Celery with PB (or Sunflower seed butter)
Ham and cheese roll ups (Just lunch meat rolled with cheese)
Leftovers from dinner
Soups, Stews in a thermos
Lettuce wraps
corn tortillas
Sometimes I make little pizzas on the tortillas, they don't turn out too bad!
For birthday parties (at houses or at school) I make him a special cupcake. I taught myself how to decorate them and they are AWESOME.
You CAN make anything gf. It just take a little imagination. I wish I could post a pic of the kids' cake that I made (Perry the Platypus! This year it was the Avengers!). There are SO many foods that are naturally GF.
thanks for all thos esuggestions. hopefull yone day he will eat half of what you posted! he won't eat eggs when he was a baby he had a egg allergy and out grew it at age 2, so it was hard to get him eating it again as he knew he couldn't have it... still to this day he still won't eat eggs at all. He won't eat meat besides chicken and the odd time hamburger but not a hamburger,lol he won't eat celery or most veggies only corn and the odd time carrots...won't touch stew or anythign liek that. soup will work but can't do that daily... i haven't see GF pita bread, begals, etc yet?0 -
won ton wrappers or egg roll wrappers?Rice wraps? I'm not totally sure what to call them actually. Just like a wheat tortillas but made of rice. The only place I've seen them here are Safeway in the aisle with the Asian foods. The soysauce, rice noodles etc.0 -
Nope, thick like a tortilla. Made of brown rice. My mom makes hers herself.
And if you can't find the gluten free bagels etc, check the freezer section. That's where ours are0 -
any brand in specific that is good for begals? I love safeway or sobeys bakery ones. anything to compare to that?
now a Q on cross contamination? what if it happens or happens and you don't knwo it. Even if you are GF you can't control everything like at other places, other peoples houses, etc.... so i know it will still do damage but if he is GF and does get contamination once in a while is he still going to be ok? The reason i am asking is i know he doesn't get many symptoms now and what if he never does, we may not know he was contaminated, right... so i know he will be healing being GF but how much damage will happen if he gets contaminated... I really worry about when he's sleeping over at his grand parents as they arer iggnorant about this and think it's nonsense in some sense.... i do believe it's from that side of the family and i think even if they try he will get contaminated b/c they arn't " careful" enough...0 -
He'll be fine. If there is no reaction then the damage will be done, but it will heal without making a difference in his life at all. That's the good thing about celiacs, the damage does heal.0
-
My son was diagnosed almost 4 years ago. His only symptom was the back of his teeth were rotting away. The pediatrician didn't even want to do the Celiac Panel. I had to push and thank God I did.
It is hard at first. It gets easier as time goes by. Everyone else in the family should be tested. Celiac is a genetic condition, he had to get it from one of his parents. Siblings should be tested also.
My son, who has eaten school lunches since his pre-school days, has brought his lunch to school every day since his diagnosis. It is the only way to keep him GF.
GF living had an article about kids who were diagnosed recently. It is in the magazine that is out right now. Please read it. It is uplifting and we could all learn something from these kids.
My son has no desire to cheat. If he has been "glutened" it is accidental. The longer you are without gluten the worse the symptoms will be.
I would advise that all meals be GF and everyone eat GF in the house. It helps prevent cross contamination. The half of the family that isn't GF can have what ever they want to eat as long as they don't eat it here.
I would not push the GF bread on your son. I have never found one that I thought was fantastic. Some are ok, others are just plain awful. What I think taste good you might think taste grainy.
Depending on where you live there might be a sleep away camp for kids with Celiac. My son has gone every year since he was diagnosed. For one week a year these kids are just like all the other kids. It is a great feeling. I live outside of Atlanta and our local one had kids from Florida, Mississippi, Kansas and even California.
You son can do anything other kids can do. My son spent 10 days hiking at Philmont Scout camp in New Mexico. We had to ship all his food out there ahead of time. There was an Olympic Swimmer and a Pole Vaulter (think it was pole vaulting) who have Celiac. If they can be Olympic athletes and have Celiac anything is possible. Google "Gluten Free" and your town or a large town near you. Join the group. There will be people who have the same questions you do. Most people with Celiac help newbies out because we remember what it was like. Join a local R.O.C.K. (Raising Our Celiac Kids) group. Then you will find other people who have kids with the same condition.
Check out El Peto (www.elpeto.com). They are a Canadian company that sells only GF foods.
Ask your doctor if they have a mentoring program. Our pediatric gastro does.
There are groups on Facebook also.
Kids heal quicker than adults. Six months after my son was diagnosed his blood results came back crystal clear. Our gastro also tests his thyroid every year. He has had many years where his thyroid is high (an indication of hypothyroidism). People with 1 autoimmune disease tend to get others.
Good luck and be positive. It isn't the end of the world. Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.0 -
Everything ktouton said.
The more positive family and friends can be about it, the more positive your child will be. My cousin is celiac and her two younger children. One diagnosed young (2 y.o) so never known any different, but the elder was not diagnosed until 7. The transition was made much easier by the family embracing GF living.
Eldest (10 y.o) is not celiac, but he understands how important it is for his mum and siblings to stay GF. His father is also not celiac, so when they have father and son time, they go for a pizza outside of the house. Eldest has school dinners if he wants them, but more often than not, he opts to have the same packed lunch as the younger kid. He is very protective of her and won't allow anyone to make fun because she can't have certain foods. Talk to school as well, because when they do cooking and things, they have done gluten free recipes in the 7 year old's class so she can join in and not be left out. You may find there are more celiac kids in school than you realised as well - there were actually another 3 kids in the school on a GF diet where my cousin is.
You have to live too though, and sometimes that means accepting some level of risk. I eat out at restaurants, but I ring ahead to ask them if they can cater for a GF diet, more often than not, they are accommodating. I have been glutened a handful of times, and it's not nice, but I do accept that it might happen occasionally, for the sake of a normal life, I continue to eat out, eat at friends' houses etc, knowing that people have made their best efforts.
My family didn't have a clue at first, but there are simple measures they take to ensure my food is not contaminated when I eat with them, such as making a GF dish for the whole family, ensuring all pots and pans are thoroughly cleaned, they do not use wooden spoons to stir things, and putting a piece of tinfoil on the grill pan when toasting GF bread for me, rather than using the toaster. And they read labels to ensure there is no gluten in what they are cooking. If you give the family a list of "safe" foods, and precautions they can take, then you will ensure they do not remain ignorant about it, and if they continue to feed the kid gluten, then it's time to stop them having him unsupervised until they can take it on board. If they love their grandson, they will do it for his health, simples.0 -
There are GF bagels, we love Udi's. They have hamburger buns and hot dog buns too. Pretty much, if you want it, someone makes it.
So, stick with what he WILL eat then, just use an acceptable GF substitute. Try not to overthink this. Be careful, avoid cross contamination, read your labels (there's the 3 time rule - once in the store, once when you get it home, and again when you go to eat it). In a few years it'll be 2nd nature.
I mean, what would you typically pack in his lunch?
Also, yes - he could get 'glutened' somewhere. It's inevitable. Control things where you can. In all actuality, once he's gluten free, he may start to get symptoms when he's gotten something he shouldn't.0 -
You may also find that he starts eating more - the body can be very good at knowing when food is making you ill and a loss of appetite can be a sign of coeliacs.
I know as mum that it can be hard having to refuse a child something they like but they do get use to it. My 8 year old is dairy intolerant and is fantastic. He know if i eat he can eat it and he has his own stuff. He is very good when he eats out and if he is not sure he wont touch it until he has asked an adult.0 -
i sure hope he doesn't eat more after he already eats like a cow! he is always been top for weight, height and development. He eats tons all the time...0
-
In 18 months my son grew 9". This all happened within the first 24 months of going GF. It is hard to determine if it was just his time or if going GF had something to do with it.
Currently DS eats between 2-3 boxes of GF cereal a week. He is almost 6'4 and about 170#. I think he is headed for another growth spurt because his eating and sleeping have greatly increased.
God help me and my wallet trying to keep him in food.0
