Let's face it we eat candy and give our kids candy. The schools allow so we might as well know what kind is safe and let others know too. Here is a article from Celiac.com (a fave of mine) and for me they are like calling a company. Gluten free and Gluten safe Halloween Candy 2011 There are new candies coming out all the time though and when in doubt Call the number on the back to ask them if they are gluten free or not.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Halloween
Like it or not it the day is coming. I personally love the day and my daughter dresses up everyday so she is in love with the day as well. So here are a few options for how to deal with the day to make it go smoothly.
1) Have a party - If you have a party at your house you know what is there and you know your child or yourself will not be contaminated. If you want help with food give out something that is easy but gluten free to each guest. Like a bag of GF candy or any other GF prepackaged food or drink.
2) For smaller children take them trick or treating! This is what I have done with mine. Depending on the age of the child say 3-up you can decide on something to replace the candy they receive. I told my daughter it was the one time she could take something from someone without asking if it was Gluten free and put it in her bucket. When we got home she hands over the bucket and we hand over the toy. GF snacks, or GF candy that we all agreed on before she went trick or treating so there are no melt downs. ***the younger they are you might want to bring a snacks or sucker with you trick or treating if you will be doing it with other people that let their children that are allowed to eat some of theirs on the way.***
3) Go trick or treating at houses you have already talked to and know that they will have GF candy or other items. --My In-Laws do this for us. They take down a list of candy that is safe for her that year and any of the people in the neighborhood that know my daughter they buy GF candy. There is a long list of candy that is GF and not outrageously expensive so if you know your neighbors give them a handout a of the GF candies letting them know they don't have to buy them it is just a suggestion of what your child can have. Lets face it if you are going to their house and are friends they already know and probably will appreciate it. I would not ever do it with strangers but most of my friends appreciate this kind of thing from me.
4) If you know a group of people with Gluten sensitive or celiac disease then do something together. You know you be in a safe environment and people who go against the grain rock so you know you would have fun!
How to handle school:
Some school participate in this and some have a fall festival. If asked send in a list of items that your child can have. I would include pencils, erasers, and other cheap toys on this list because they are everywhere at party city and Walmart right now. The other children would like them just as much, the parents would love not have another piece of sugar put in their kids body, and the other parents probably would be relieved not to have to worry about what to buy for your child that is gluten free.
If you give out something and you do not want it to be candy try http://www.orientaltrading.com/ I have used the a lot over the years and love them. It would be great if you and several parents went in together so you could get a variety for trick or treating or for the classroom.
Good luck and I hope all of you have a spooktacular Gluten free Halloween!
1) Have a party - If you have a party at your house you know what is there and you know your child or yourself will not be contaminated. If you want help with food give out something that is easy but gluten free to each guest. Like a bag of GF candy or any other GF prepackaged food or drink.
2) For smaller children take them trick or treating! This is what I have done with mine. Depending on the age of the child say 3-up you can decide on something to replace the candy they receive. I told my daughter it was the one time she could take something from someone without asking if it was Gluten free and put it in her bucket. When we got home she hands over the bucket and we hand over the toy. GF snacks, or GF candy that we all agreed on before she went trick or treating so there are no melt downs. ***the younger they are you might want to bring a snacks or sucker with you trick or treating if you will be doing it with other people that let their children that are allowed to eat some of theirs on the way.***
3) Go trick or treating at houses you have already talked to and know that they will have GF candy or other items. --My In-Laws do this for us. They take down a list of candy that is safe for her that year and any of the people in the neighborhood that know my daughter they buy GF candy. There is a long list of candy that is GF and not outrageously expensive so if you know your neighbors give them a handout a of the GF candies letting them know they don't have to buy them it is just a suggestion of what your child can have. Lets face it if you are going to their house and are friends they already know and probably will appreciate it. I would not ever do it with strangers but most of my friends appreciate this kind of thing from me.
4) If you know a group of people with Gluten sensitive or celiac disease then do something together. You know you be in a safe environment and people who go against the grain rock so you know you would have fun!
How to handle school:
Some school participate in this and some have a fall festival. If asked send in a list of items that your child can have. I would include pencils, erasers, and other cheap toys on this list because they are everywhere at party city and Walmart right now. The other children would like them just as much, the parents would love not have another piece of sugar put in their kids body, and the other parents probably would be relieved not to have to worry about what to buy for your child that is gluten free.
If you give out something and you do not want it to be candy try http://www.orientaltrading.com/ I have used the a lot over the years and love them. It would be great if you and several parents went in together so you could get a variety for trick or treating or for the classroom.
Good luck and I hope all of you have a spooktacular Gluten free Halloween!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Fight for yourself
I started this blog to share our journey with you so that you could learn from my mistakes and also what I do right with my child and her gluten free diet. After much thinking I am sharing my news with you so that hopefully it will save some of you and your intestines.
They now know I have Gluten sensitivity or celiac disease and they know I have had it since at least first grade. When I was 16 I became very ill and went through a ton of test finding out part of my stomach and intestines were paralyzed. When we asked why no one knew, no one cared. They tried me on the medication approved in the US. When I could not take it I was told to learn to live with it and I adjusted my life around it.
I recently went in for more testing and new studies to find out my intestines are getting very little blood now and I get to try 2 different medicines if the first one works great! the second is not approved in the US still after 14 years (not sure that the insurance will pay for it). If they don't work they want to put in a pace maker for my intestines and the last option is the dying portion will have to be removed.
I tell you my story because after fighting for my daughter to find out the why of everything I know how important it is. The doctors should have found out why my intestines were becoming paralyzed 14 yrs ago. If I had been on a gluten free diet for 14 or more years maybe my intestines would not be the way they are now who knows. I do know I will never walk out of a doctors office thinking "I don't know" is an acceptable answer and neither should you.
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