Today I received an email from a parent of one of my kiddos. She shared that he had been put on a gluten and dairy free diet this summer and that they were seeing great results. This student has always had toileting issues so I am glad to hear they have found a solution, however I am a little nervous about this new diet.The biggest diet restrictions I have had in my classroom are no chocolate/caffeine and no peanut butter. So this will be a big change. I am mostly concerned about adapting our weekly cooking activities to meet this students needs.
Has anyone worked with kids with gluten-free diets? Have you seen a big change? Other than bowel issues, what are other reasons gluten-free is used?
Do you know of any resources our there for teachers that will help with these restrictions? Perhaps kid-friendly cookbooks?
Thanks!
3 comments:
I am gluten intolerant 4th grade teacher and my 3rd grade son was just diagnosed with gluten/dairy intolerance. Try celiac.com for some good information. Cross-contamination is an issue when you cook. You will need to be very careful. Also look out for things like Playdoh (wheat-flour), licking envelopes, and there are many more.
my son is on the spectrum and was raging before the diet. we allergy tested him and found he was slightly allergic to milk, wheat and peanuts. it is a hard diet to stick to, but so well worth it. he doesnt rage anymore. i am hoping to reintroduce dairy in the fall in the form of cheese and yogurt after 2 years of being on the diet. there are cookbooks out there that deal with this diet. you can substitute rice, soy, almond or coconut milks for cows milk (unless he has other allergies or restrictions). There are other kinds of flour you can substitute too.
Thanks for the suggestions! I am more and more hopeful for this diet. My student has amazing potential and is at/above grade level in many academic areas but functionally, behaviorally, and with communication he REALLY struggles. This has really impacted his performance in the gen ed classroom so I am hoping this diet straightens out his world a bit for him!
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