My eldest daughter, Amelie, is all set to go on her school residential trip this month. Five full days away from the safety of her family and home, five full days of adventure and excitement and another step on her road to grown up independence. As her mummy, and as a specialist dietitian, this fills me with the most intense array of emotions. 

With my mummy hat on, I feel... 

excitement: The trip will give Amelie the chance to take part in new activities, late night chatting, midnight feasting and lots more. It’s the character building sort of activities where you start to learn who you are and who you might become. Her face lights up when we talk about it!  

doubt: Have we taught her well enough to know what to ask and how to navigate her gluten free diet alone?  

anxiety: What if she gets there and she doesn’t feel it is safe to eat? Will they cater for her properly? Do they really understand her needs? Will she miss out on treats and hot chocolates around the campfire? Will she be hungry? (this hurts me the most!) Did I pack her enough snacks? What if she gets glutened and is unwell but we are not there to help her or comfort her straight away?  

Of course, as a parent of a child with coeliac disease, my instinct is to shield her from her constant reminder that she is different from the other children and the thought that her trip might not be as easy as it will be for others. I want to prepare her for real life and shield her from it all at the same time. I know what it feels like to travel with coeliac disease, and I know how badly sometimes you wish you could just ‘switch it off’ for a week; a feeling that is intensified in my hopes and dreams for her.   

Despite being told she won’t need snacks, I pack copious amounts of flat breads, pitas (to save on space!), toaster pockets, treats and hot chocolate sachets just in case! I can’t bear the idea of her missing out or being hungry! 

To help myself cope with all these emotions, I have to take my mummy hat off and put my dietitian hat firmly on!  

With my dietitian hat on... 

As all parents of children with coeliac disease will already know, preparation is key. Talking to the school and talking to the venue beforehand is vital and making sure I ask the awkward questions and get the detail I need to feel reassured.  

My checklist before she goes: 

• Complete the registration form carefully that goes back to school and is sent to the venue to highlight the need for a strict gluten free diet without contamination.  
• Call the venue directly and ask to speak to the catering manager. I want to ask them:   
  • Will her needs be catered for?   
  • Do you understand the need to have no cross contamination of gluten? 
  • Do you have a separate toaster/ fryer?  
  • Will gluten free food be cooked and prepared separately?  
  • What about shared salad bars or buffet style meals? Can a separate plate be prepared or gluten containing salads be avoided for that period of time? 
  • How do all staff members know who has what dietary restrictions? Will she wear a band to identify herself? 
  • Will she have a variety of foods?  
  • Will there be snacks and treats provided in line with the other children? 
  • Shall we send her with any snacks / bread/ cereals/ toaster pockets/ hot chocolate, etc?  

Once I have these answers I'll be chatting everything through with Amelie to help prepare her. I’ll ask her: 

• How does she feel about the trip? 
• Is there anything she is worried about? 
• Does she feel confident to ask or question a food? 

We will also visit the supermarket together to do some food labelling practice beforehand to build her confidence (and mine!).  

Once our preparation is complete, they’ll be nothing more to do except to send Amelie on her way and wish her an amazing trip! 

Whether I have my mummy hat or dietitian hat on, this is all about Amelie and her becoming an independent young person. I want her to be able to tackle anything and not let her dietary needs stop her from achieving her dreams.