Letter for School

One thing I've noticed since my daughter's Celiac diagnosis is just how ignorant people can be, often through no fault of their own. I think a lot of people hear the words "gluten-free" and think that it's just the current fad resulting from clever advertising campaigns. On back-to-school night this year I did what I thought was the good parent thing and I informed my daughter's teachers that she has Celiac Disease and cannot have any gluten. Her new teacher nodded her head but I could tell by the glassy look in her eyes that she probably really didn't understand what Celiac is or what exactly gluten is (which she sheepishly confirmed when I asked). 

Something I've learned while navigating the school system (due to this, anxiety/learning challenges with my daughter, and my son's Type 1 Diabetes) is that verbal communication is not enough and to be the best advocate that you can for your child, you really should put EVERYTHING in writing. Below is a copy of the letter that I wrote for my Celiac daughter that I gave to all of her teachers, the school nurse, and the front office at her school. I attached a list of approved snacks to the letter and included my contact information on it.  I can't take credit for the idea - I came across a sample letter that another parent wrote in my favorite magazine, Gluten Free & More (I think it was in the August or September 2016 issue). 

Child’s Name

Re: Celiac Disease

This letter is to inform you that our daughter E has celiac disease and to let you know of her special needs. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that wreaks havoc on her body when gluten is ingested. E was diagnosed with celiac disease after positive blood tests and biopsies in March of 2015, and has been living a gluten-free lifestyle since that time. It’s what keeps her healthy.

           

Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley. It’s found in a wide variety of foods – cookies, breads, pastas, cereals, candy, snack foods and even some surprising sources like Play-Doh and Bath & Body Work’s hand sanitizer. Because celiac disease is not an allergy, E will not be in immediate danger if she ingests gluten either accidentally or due to cross contamination. However, she will likely experience intestinal distress, as well as mood changes, fatigue, bloating, and headaches (we are still learning the signs and symptoms of E’s accidental exposure to gluten).

           

We would appreciate if you could ensure that E avoids gluten at all costs. We want her to have a great school year, as I am sure you do too. Here are a few things that should help in the classroom:

Cross Contamination   Please be aware of any gluten products in the classroom. From sandwich crumbs to some art supplies, it’s important to be alert to E’s surroundings and her work surfaces. We encourage a lot of hand washing, especially prior to handling anything E will ingest.

Restroom Breaks   E needs to be excused to use the restroom on an “as needed” basis.  E deals with chronic constipation and her belly often gets bloated and uncomfortable. She may sometimes be in the restroom a little longer than most – that’s just how her system works.  If you feel at any time that she is abusing this, please let us know and we will talk to her.

Birthdays and Other Special Celebrations   E will have her own “special treats” in the nurse’s office that she should be allowed to have when the class celebrates a birthday.  For other special celebrations when the class will be having pizza or other types of gluten foods, please let me know ahead of time so I can bring something in for her to have.  Our goal is for her to not feel excluded as much as we possibly can. It’s important that even candy be checked for gluten prior to E eating it.  We’ve found that wheat is hidden in surprising places like Air Heads and Mentos (neither of which E can eat)!

Field Trips   Please let me know if any special treats will be eaten during field trips so I can provide something gluten-free for E to take along.

            

If you have any questions about E’s diet or about certain foods she can or can’t eat, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thank you so much for working with us to make E’s school year gluten-free friendly!