Disclaimer: the following post is about our personal experience – I’m always happy to share our story with others. However, the contents of this post are not intended to offer medical advice, diagnose health problems or suggest treatments. This post is not a substitute for medical care provided by a licensed and qualified health professional. 

“There is more risk than benefit to a gluten-free diet for people — especially children — who haven’t been diagnosed with celiac disease or wheat allergy, according to the Journal of Pediatrics.”
(Gluten-free isn’t healthy choice for most children, pediatrician says)

Articles like this one make me feel so angry. And confused. And guilty. Basically all the feelings.

My daughter River has been gluten-free for two and half years now, minus the seven weeks that she ate gluten to prepare for a celiac test.

“Most of those consumers are eating gluten-free without checking with a dietitian or health professional, making it a fad that could be affecting thousands of children, Reilly said.”
(Gluten-free isn’t healthy choice for most children, pediatrician says)

I question my decision to force a gluten-free diet on my daughter at least once a week. After all, it’s a pain in the butt for everyone. Gluten-free flour costs more than regular flour. Packaged GF foods cost a small fortune. I hate that she misses out on birthday cake at parties. I hate that she can’t eat much of the food at most restaurants. I hate that potlucks – well, I just hate potlucks in general.

River started her gluten-free diet a few months before she turned six. The improvements were obvious and immediate, both physically and emotionally. Her colouring went from deathly-pale to Watson-pale. Her eyes became clearer, her teeth lost their yellow tinge. She stopped throwing up all the time. We were delighted and we settled into the gluten-free lifestyle for the long haul.

Over time, though, I started to second-guess myself. Were the improvements all in my head? Was I inflicting this weird diet on my child for no good reason? Of course being a typical mother, I worried about the opposite at the exact same time. Maybe I wasn’t being strict enough. If she was truly celiac, why weren’t we being more careful to avoid cross-contamination?