Nothing says Thanksgiving like Pumpkin Pie. Well, at least that’s how my husband feels. Truth be told, we never had it growing up so I didn’t know what I was …
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Welcome to Celiac Mama! I’m Jereann Zann, mother to a fun-loving 4 year old who has celiac disease and a dairy allergy. My goal in creating this website is to share our knowledge so that other parents of children with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or other food allergies can benefit. Read Our Story
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the ingestion of gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye) results in intestinal inflammation and long-lasting damage to the small intestine. It is not a fad diet or a choice to eat and live gluten free. For people with celiac disease, living gluten free is a requirement of the disease in order to remain healthy and to prevent other diseases from developing. Learn about:
When our daughter first received her celiac disease diagnosis, we were very unfamiliar with the disease or what we were supposed to do to manage it. Over the last two years, we have spent countless hours meeting with medical professionals, researching and self-educating to get to a place where we feel well informed and well equipped to make life for our daughter as seemless and unstigmatizing as possible. This section of the website includes a lot of the information that we wish we had known earlier. We hope that it helps ease the stress and confusion of learning to live gluten free. Topics areas include:
GF Kitchen/Pantry
Where is Gluten Found?
Different Names for Gluten
Cross Contamination
Learning to cook delicious gluten free recipes at home serves several purposes. First, it guarantees that we know exactly what our daughter is eating, which keeps her healthy. Second, purchasing gluten free products in grocery stores and restaurants is usually much more expensive so it helps to limit expenses. Third, it’s a fun way to engage your child to learn to love food rather than be afraid of it. We will share:
Gluten Free Baby Food Recipes
Gluten Free Recipes for Kids
Gluten Free Recipes for Families
Sending a child to school for the first time can be a tough transition for anyone (first time parent or child), but when the child has celiac disease, it is significantly more complicated. Parents can control the environment at home to make sure that their child is not exposed to gluten, but that is much harder to do when they are at school. This is especially true because schools often don’t understand what celiac disease is, and neither do pre-school children. Get your child ready for school adventures with:
Classroom Tips
Handouts for School Staff
Letter to Teachers/School Nurse
Reducing Cross Contamination in the Classroom
Grabbing a bite to eat on the go, sitting down for lunch with a friend, or having a celebratory end of the week pizza night out at a local restaurant with family may seem like no problem, but when you have a child with celiac disease you are severely limited when it comes to eating out anywhere. But, fear not. We have developed some tips that will help you make informed choices and make your gluten free outings FUN. Learn about:
Raising a child with celiac disease can be challenging, but it’s our job as parents and loved ones to shield our children from that as much as possible. Sharing stories of ways to reduce the stigma associated with the disease so that it doesn’t define your child is so important. We will discuss:
Explaining celiac disease to your child
Managing anxiety
Building Confidence
Reducing stigma
