Some Great Celiac Support Groups for Children and Families

     In North America, celiac families have a range of choices of local chapters of The Gluten Intolerance Group, The Celiac Sprue Association, The Celiac Disease Foundation, The Canadian Celiac Association, and Raising Our Celiac Kids (R.O.C.K.). To find a nearby celiac support group, use a search engine and type in “celiac support groups” and the name of your state, or look up a local group in MeetUp.com and type “celiac” in the search box on the home page. If there’s no local support group, national organizations would be happy to help you launch one in your area, in which case I would recommend connecting with a nutritionist. You can also join online support groups and participate in online discussion forums. You can sign up for a weekly newsletter or blog, such as my own gluten-free blog. Celiac teens can also join celiac support groups on Facebook and MySpace.

     Whether your child is dismayed by his new gluten-free diet or excited to have finally found an answer to his painful symptoms, you should still join a local chapter of a support group, or at the very least join an online forum. Since I started my gluten-free way of life and connected with others in the celiac community, my life has been more rewarding than ever and living gluten free has become second nature. Don’t miss out on these potential benefits you can give your child or pass up the opportunity to offer to others your own gluten-free wisdom and experience.

Tina Turbin

From our home to yours, Tina Turbin.