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Gluten-Free Nation Magazine I Spring/Summer 2019
.J\-t Raising Our Celiac Kids�r ....
IT'S PARTY TIME!!! Parties & Celebrations - How to navigate them as a parent or caregi er
of a child with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
by Katarina Mollo, MEd, RDN, LDN
STEP 1 :
The key with birthday parties is to com-
municate early with the host and discuss
your child's needs. Ask what foods and
drinks will be served and if any activities
This past week my
9-year-old daughter had
a total of four - yes four
birthday party invites!
While she is blessed with
great friends, I must ad
mit this made me feel
very overwhelmed. Birth
day parties are supposed
to be fun and joyous oc
casions for kids, however
when you are a child with
celiac disease, or a care
giver of a child with celiac
disease, birthday parties
can also be very stressful
and anxiety-provoking
events. You definitely
need to plan ahead as
it is hard to do things with
a moment's notice.
When my daughter receives a party invite
I always go into Gluten-Free Mode so I
thought it might be helpful to share what
my Gluten-Free Mode means! The follow-
ing are the steps I go through for parties
and celebrations, as well as some tips to
make navigating parties easier. will involve food. Give suggestions on
10
Balloon illustration:
Erik Svobada/
Shutterstock.com
foods that are gluten-free that everyone
can eat.
I find that text messages are a good way
to start the conversation. Most invites will
have a phone number these days with the
prompt to RSVP by text or email.
www.nationalceliac.org
