Choosing the appropriate foods for your toddler who has celiac disease can dramatically improve her health. Many parents feel overwhelmed by the numerous dietary restrictions. It might seem daunting to find gluten-free foods that a young child will eat. However, preparing nutritious gluten-free food that tastes good is easier than you might think.
Celiac Disease Defined
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine resulting in the inability to absorb nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease are unable to eat gluten, a protein that is in wheat, rye and barley. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune system damages villi. Villi are located in the small intestine. In healthy people, the villi permit nutrients to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine to the bloodstream. When the villi are unhealthy, a person can become malnourished.
Celiac Disease in Children
Celiac disease can cause significant problems in infants and young children. Infants with the disease may experience stomach pain and diarrhea resulting in the inability to gain appropriate amounts of weight. This may affect the child's ability to grow. Young children may also experience stomach pain and nausea. They may develop mouth sores or skin rashes resulting from a lack of iron in their blood. Parents should notice if their child becomes irritable or notice that she does not participate in activities that she typically finds enjoyable.
Children with pre-existing conditions such as Type 1 diabetes; autoimmune thyroid disease; dermatitis herpetiformis; Down syndrome; Turner syndrome; Williams syndrome; or, a relative with celiac disease are at an increased risk for developing celiac disease.
Foods to Avoid
If your toddler has been diagnosed with celiac disease, avoid grains containing gluten including: wheat; rye; barley; bran; barley malt and extract; bulgur; couscous; durum; einkorn; emmer; farina; faro; graham flour; kamut; matzo flour and meal; orzo; panko; rye; seitan; semolina; spelt; triticale; udo; wheat bran; wheat germ; and wheat starch. Many of these items can be found in breads, cereals, pasta, pizza, cakes, pies and cookies.
Avoid processed foods. They often contain ingredients containing gluten. Gluten can also be found in the following foods and products: soup base; stuffing; self-basting poultry; imitation bacon and seafood; soy sauce; marinades; thickeners; herbal supplements; prescription medications; over-the-counter medication; and Play-Doh. Parents should not worry about gluten passing through the skin if children play with Play-Doh. Wash your child's hands after handling Play-Doh in an effort to avoid cross contamination.
Healthy and Gluten-Free Options
You may find it overwhelming to prepare meals if your toddler has celiac disease. With some careful planning, you can make gluten-free meals for the entire family. Breakfast can include Cream of Rice cereal with dried fruits, seeds or nuts. If your toddler isn't lactose intolerant, serve cottage cheese with apples and cinnamon. An egg, cheese, and vegetable omelet is another option. Include fried potatoes and grapefruit for a balanced start to the day. For lunches and dinners, serve beef or chicken kabobs over rice, with ice cream for dessert. Make snack time enjoyable for young children with rice cakes or rice crackers, cheese or hummus. Children may also enjoy popcorn, string cheese, or celery sticks with cream cheese.
Supplementing Your Child's Diet
Your doctor can advise you if your child should take a vitamin or mineral supplement. This could be beneficial if your child has recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. The damage to the intestinal lining may result in problems absorbing iron, calcium, folate, and B-Vitamins. Choose a supplement that is gluten-free and provides all of the recommended daily allowances, or the daily-recommended intake.
In an effort to provide a well balanced diet, serve gluten-free foods rich in nutrients. Healthy choices include foods dense in calcium including yogurt, cheese, sardines, broccoli and almonds. Beverages including soy milk and orange juice are routinely fortified with calcium. Foods providing iron include meat, fish and poultry. Legumes eggs and quinoa also are high in iron. Peanuts, broccoli and asparagus provide folate while eggs milk, poultry and seafood provide B12 vitamins.
