Children are picky eaters to start with. Throw in having a child with celiac disease and you just might have a fairly large challenge on your hands.

So how do you feed a child and help them deal with a very serious health issue?

1. Make sure your child understands – Children understand way more than you might at first give them credit for. No matter what age your child is, he or she needs an explanation as to why little Johnny can eat whatever he wants while your child has a much stricter diet. It’s also very important that he or she understands how very serious it is to consume foods containing gluten.

2. Test a variety of foods – Don’t get stuck in a rut serving the same foods time and time again to your child. Test out a variety of foods and combinations so your child doesn’t get bored.

3. Involve you child in the meal prep – If your child is old enough involve him or her in your meal preparations and cooking. Even children a couple of years old can help with things like washing off an apple or breaking off the lettuce. You’ll have to have patience here because this will be playtime for them but it will also help them enjoy the ‘fruits’ of their labour when it comes time to eat.

4. Don’t leave them out – I had a birthday party for my son at McDonald’s for his fifth birthday. While I didn’t realize it when we handed out the invitations one of the children had a gluten intolerance and couldn’t eat McDonald’s food. Instead of just replying that he couldn’t come his mother asked me if he could come and bring his own food due to his intolerance. I happily said yes! All I cared about was that my son had a good birthday. The point is don’t worry about your child being left out and don’t be afraid to ask to make alternative arrangements. Most people would be happy to oblige.

5. Attitude is everything – Teaching your child to have a positive attitude will go a long way not only for their disease but for everything they do in life. The first step to teaching is leading by example. So make sure that you always present a positive attitude. Teach your child to look on the bright side and to manage their disease with dignity and confidence.

Eating gluten-free foods doesn’t need to be boring. As long as your child understands that variety is possible they shouldn’t have too many issues. Planning and a positive attitude will go a long way to help ensure you have a happy and well adjusted gluten-free child!

Tags: child celiac, children celiac disease