August 2, 2003
Celiac, Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Kingsport, Tennessee, USA:
My daughter has been on a gluten-free diet for three and a half months now, and her hemoglobin A1c has elevated significantly. She went from 7.3 to 8.0%, which is the highest she’s been since diagnosis four years ago. I’m concerned about the starches in these gluten-free products and how they breakdown differently from wheat. There has to be a difference, and I would love to find someone familiar with both diseases who could actually educate me and my family.
I noticed a recent question about a child’s diagnosis of celiac disease in addition to type 1 diabetes. The parents asked about information on how to deal with both diseases simultaneously, and you directed them to the Celiac section on your website. You stated for meal planning around both diseases to ask your physician to refer you to a dietitian familiar with both diseases.
What if there are none where you live? What other resources are there? Any suggestions?
Answer:
A good resource for celiac disease from a pediatric standpoint is Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids by Sheri Sanderson. It includes many kid friendly gluten free recipes and some good information about understanding celiac disease.
I would contact your local American Diabetes Association affiliate for a referral to a diabetes dietitian who has experience with celiac disease. You will want to find a dietitian who has experience because the meal plan is quite specific and can be quite complicated.
JMS
