1. Shop for a Gluten-Free Diet
Since celiac disease is caused by a reaction to the gluten protein gliadin, maintaining a gluten-free diet is the most important component of managing the disease. Unfortunately, gluten is found everywhere and eliminating it from your child's diet is difficult work. Begin the process by learning in what basic foods gluten is found. The protein is commonly found in wheat, rye, oats and barley and in any foods that utilize these ingredients. Figuring out which foods contain the grains is the tough part.
Be wary of whole foods that aren't specifically marked as gluten-free. The list is long, but it includes most breads, pastas, pastries and cereals. Next read food labels for offending ingredients. Ingredients to watch out for include, but are not limited to, high-gluten flour, bran, farina, graham flour, bulgur, wheat malt, wheat starch, gluten and wheat bran.
Carry a list of ingredients with you when you shop and look for them not only in foods, but also in beverages and supplements. The Celiac Disease Foundation can provide you with information about a local support group whose members can help you create a list of gluten-free and gluten-containing foods. As you learn to manage your child's more individualized food triggers, you may want to start your own list to post at home.
2. Prepare Before Going out to eat
Eating out can be tough for children with celiac disease, but that doesn't mean you should avoid restaurants. Avoid the embarrassment of interrogating the waitstaff and cooks about food ingredients and preparation by doing some preparation of your own. Many restaurants offer gluten-free fare as part of the regular menu. Some chains even have lists of specially prepared wheat-free items. Call ahead to learn about them.
Help your child self-manage his disease by preparing menu cards to carry with him. In addition to the list of foods you've gathered from restaurant chains, draw pictures of fruits, vegetables, salad, eggs and potatoes. These are typically "safe" food choices. As your child gets older, help him create more sophisticated, written versions of the cards. Include not only the typical meal options, but also safe foods he's discovered through experience and the restaurants at which he ate them.
3. Bring Your Own Food (BYOF)
Parties, cookouts and even school lunches are part of every child's life. Because of his food restrictions, your child might be hesitant to join his friends in these activities. Checking all the labels and talking to the lunch lady can make her stand out from the rest of the crowd, and most kids want to blend in with the crowd. If you can't manage to speak with the host or school ahead of time, you can make it a little easier for your child by preparing a BYOF bag.
Sealing foods in tin foil can help to avoid gluten contamination during reheating, as the food can merely be heated in the tin foil. You may even want to consider packing some extra gluten-free snacks--your child may end up sharing with curious friends.
