Part 3: Advocating for Yourself

1. Restaurants: Call ahead! Ask about their gluten free options, check the menu beforehand and keep an eye out for gluten free vs gluten friendly symbols. Ask if they cook their food in the same or separate kitchen, with different pots/pans/utensils/ovens. Then, at the restaurant, make sure you make clear that you have Celiac, and not just a gluten free preference- there is a big difference in the restaurant world. If needed, ask to speak to a manager or chef- they should always be accomodating and be able to make adjustments, or at the very least, explain the level of safety in their kitchen! PS- make sure to read my restaurant-specific article for more specific details!

2. School: Again, for more in-depth information, make sure to read my school-specific article. But in general, let’s talk school. In elementary and middle school (even if you don’t have a 504 or IEP plan), make sure you or your parents communicate with the administration/school nurses or your teachers and let them know that you have Celiac Disease. Make sure a) they understand what this entails or b) you give an explanation as to what this means! This can be easily brushed over, however, especially for young children, it’s important that their teachers know to make sure they don’t take any school-provided non-GF treats, share with peers, or, in the unfortunate case that you/your child gets exposed/contaminated and has a reaction. They need to know how to properly handle it, and since individuals with Celiac have a wide range of reactions to gluten, it’s important that teachers are aware of what to do in the unlikely situation.

3. Playdates: Playdates can be a tough one. Once you reach high school and are driving around to get food with friends, the independence makes it slightly easier as you can just buy what works and is safe for you. However, at younger ages, it can be hard in uncontrolled/new environments when parents or peers try to provide food that you may not feel comfortable with. Similar to the other situations, advocating for yourself at playdates looks very similar- have your parents text/call your friends parents to let them know you have Celiac if you are too young or don’t yet feel comfortable communicating this for yourself, and make sure you either a) bring some safe, yummy snacks for yourself or b) have packaged and certified gluten free options available in their pantry. (Again, this shouldn’t be too difficult, as nowadays, plenty of common, popular kids snacks are gluten-free or have a gluten free version/replica.

4. Parties/events: Finally, parties/events is a pretty complicated one, since it combines elements of almost all of the other situations. For this one, make sure to read my article on birthday parties, since most of that advice still applies. Overall, though, you generally have to make an assessment of the situation before, and decide if you want to talk to the host and try to figure out something you can eat that is already provided at the party and safe, something that will be accomodated/made specifically for you, bring your own food to eat, or simply eat before and skip out on the social eating scene. While none of the options are perfectly ideal and all can lead to social anxiety and uncomfortable encounters, it is super important that you do what feels best and safest for you, especially considering your level of sensitivity and how new you are to the world of Celiac.

There you have it! Some tips on advocating for yourself in common kid/teen/adolescent/young adult settings. As always, if you have a specific event coming up and you’re unsure how to advocate for yourself or ensure you have an enjoyable and safe time, please know that I am here to help and would love to provide any advice, so feel free to reach out to me via email or social media. :)