Children and gluten
Celiac disease in children
If you have a child who has been diagnosed with celiac disease, the first period can feel very overwhelming. However, it’s important to know that children often learn and adapt quickly. Young children generally find it easy to accept that they can’t eat everything others around them can. At the same time, it’s important to make sure there are gluten-free alternatives for the child, so the child feels included on the same terms as everyone else—perhaps even a little privileged. Children also learn to ask adults about gluten and what they can and cannot eat. To avoid misunderstandings, it’s also important from the start to be clear with both the child and those around them that this is about celiac disease. Avoid terms like “gluten intolerance” or “gluten allergy”!
Children and gluten at home
It’s easiest to keep track of a child’s gluten-free diet at home. Make things as simple as possible. If all family members, as far as is practical, eat the same foods, it reduces the focus on the child’s gluten-free diet. This can strengthen the child’s feeling of being like everyone else. For example, you might have different types of bread and pasta, but otherwise adapt meals, snacks, and treats so that everyone eats the same thing. This also reduces the risk that the child might accidentally consume gluten at home.
Children and gluten at school
When children reach school age, it’s common for them to start comparing themselves with their friends. They may feel it’s unfair that they can’t eat gluten. It’s important to show that you respect these feelings, and also to highlight the positive aspect—that the child feels well when eating a gluten-free diet. Inform teachers and cafeteria staff that your child cannot eat gluten. It’s a good idea to provide a certificate/document regarding your child and a gluten-free diet. Even if the gluten-free diet usually works well, it may be worth reminding staff in connection with field trips and outdoor school days. You can also send your child with some kind of “emergency provisions,” just in case.
Children and gluten in the teenage years
Having celiac disease and needing to make demands about what you’re going to eat can feel both difficult and embarrassing during the teenage years. Many teenagers also find it hard to see the consequences of a little “sloppiness” with gluten. The teenage years may be the most challenging period when you have celiac disease. It is a time when some unfortunately try eating foods containing gluten without fully thinking about the consequences of damage to the small intestine. Meeting other young people with celiac disease can therefore be a good support. The Swedish Celiac Youth Association (SCUF), with members aged 0–29, organizes meetups and activities for children and young people.
Support from a dietitian
Children and teenagers with celiac disease should receive support from a dietitian throughout their entire upbringing through regular appointments. The dietitian knows the child and is an expert in how the gluten-free diet should be managed. A dietitian can also make individualized adjustments so that your child feels as well as possible. For dietitians, there are now national guidelines for nutritional treatment in celiac disease.