Boston Children’s Answers: Raising Celiac

There are approximately 74 million school-age children in the United States alone, thus an estimated 740,000 school children who require a gluten-free diet for celiac disease. Celiac can cause significant effects on children and their families, as well as on the school they attend. We know that many children and teens do not follow a strict gluten-free diet and most often consume gluten-containing foods during meals with peers. Kids also risk being exposed to gluten at lunch time, during class celebrations and cross-contact with gluten-containing materials like Playdoh, paper maché, art supplies, science experiments, and cooking classes. So, how do parents know which type of plan their child should have to accommodate their needs at school? What do they do if the school is unwilling to set up a 504 plan? Where do they turn to for help? What should a child with celiac disease expect in the school environment? We’ll discuss this and more on this episode of Boston Children's Answers: Raising Celiac. The Boston Children's Answers: Raising Celiac Podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Global Autoimmune Institute.