How does your school age child cope at school with diet restrictions?

Won't eat in public? Always eats separately, school make an effort to cater etc?

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My twins (6) cope differently. They always take a packed lunch everywhere, one will not drink in public due to reflux, both are increasingly isolated at parties and embarrassed to be different. Most worryingly they are very anxious of new foods and will refuse to eat if there is any danger they might compromise their restrictions, even when this fear is unfounded. They are so nervous of bringing on a flare and feeling dreadful.

[bradshawcorinne FABED Volunteer]

We just don't let them eat school meals and they take their own packed lunches either cold food or hot rice dishes etc in a food flask. Cookery lessons they cook either a free from alternative or cook the same receipe as everyone else but don't taste it.

[shellsteve74 FABED]

Two of ours take packed lunches and the other is on feed. The same as Corinne when they do cooking they make free from.

[Gabriel04]

Hi there, this needn't be the case. After my 4yr son received a statement for school (well worth fight) I insisted that due to his condition that had left him tube fed and to help with his treatment with Great Ormond Streets feeding disorder team. It was imperative that they learnt (with help from my self) on how to cook for his dietary requirements. I gave lists of suppliers and went in to do cook outs with kitchen stuff. I also take food in to keep in a separate freezer.

I really wanted to help encouraged his oral intake after having such a fear of food and to mimic what his peers were having was very important to us as not to single him out.

It has been massively liberating for me not to have to do a packed full lunch (with as hard as it is) everyday.

I say fight for you right and ask the school what they can do for your child.

Wish you luck xx