A “School Plan” for Celiacs

As a mother of children with multiple food allergies I understand the need for a “school plan.”  A “school plan” is what we formulate so that we can be assured that our allergic children will be safe in school.  It usually involves meeting with the principal, teachers, and other adults who will be supervising our children when we are not around.  Those meetings generally go well, assuming those individuals have been exposed to the concept of food allergies.

The “school plan” also entails making signs for classrooms that explain the nature of the allergies and the medications required if the child is exposed to the allergen.  This way if the child has a substitute teacher for a day, she will be properly prepared.  The signs also serve as a daily reminder to the teacher.  Sometimes an Epipen needs to be placed in a  closet of the classroom, or (depending on the age of the child) the knapsack that the child takes to school with him.  Benadryl is another medication that needs to be accessible to the teacher at all times.

But it occurs to me that celiac disease is slightly different.  Firstly, most people probably haven’t been exposed to the concept of celiac disease before.  They will immediately assume that it is an allergy to gluten, which it is not.  Secondly, because celiac disease is not a gluten allergy there is no medication to relieve the child if he is exposed to gluten.  He will just become very sick.  Thirdly, gluten hides in foods in which one would not necessarily expect to find it, as do some allergens, but the labeling of ‘gluten’ in allergy warnings is not yet mandated.  So while milk, wheat, eggs, nuts, and peanuts will be listed, gluten might not.  So a celiac disease “school plan” might be a bit more complicated to formulate.

The Celiac Sprue Association has prepared excellent sample letters for principals, teachers, nursing staff, and cafeteria staff that properly introduce the disease and the ways in which the school can help.  Here are the links to those sample letters:

http://www.csaceliacs.org/SchoolMaterial/Principal.php

http://www.csaceliacs.org/SchoolMaterial/Teacher.php

http://www.csaceliacs.org/SchoolMaterial/Nurse.php

http://www.csaceliacs.org/SchoolMaterial/CafeteriaStaff.php

It is also important to have gluten-free snack options in the classrooms.  I usually send a box of pretzels, some chips and some frozen cupcakes (for birthday emergencies).

For the younger children one might consider sending a letter to the parents of the children in your child’s class explaining the disease and requesting that if they send food for the entire class they notify you first.  This way you can determine if that food is gluten-free, and if it isn’t you can send a substitute food for your child.

The most important thing you could do is to prepare your child.  Your child needs to be aware of her food limitations and understand that she cannot trade snacks, or sample another child’s doughnut.  It is the first step to teaching your child to advocate for herself which is an important life skill particularly for kids with celiac disease.



2 Responsesto “A “School Plan” for Celiacs”

1. Rachelle says:

   December 16, 2009 at 11:51 am

   I just want to say, thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this with sample letters. I am just beginning, with my 12 yo daughter…