<p>Just got off the phone with a particular vendor and decided that it would be a good time to open this up…</p>
<p>We just finished our preliminary college visits…thought I would reflect on what we found in reference to colleges that are “friendly” to those that need to be gluten-free for health reasons or otherwise…</p>
<p>Please understand that there are much more schools that are gluten free friendly; I am only posting ones that we physically visited and examined the offerings…also, some of the schools happen to be changing as we speak, so if you have kids 2011 or later, be sure to re-check…</p>
<p>These are in no particular order…</p>
<p>Extremely Accomodating: (selection and specification of GF foods in dining halls, fast food and convenience locations)</p>
<p>George Washington University
Syracuse University
Elon University</p>
<p>Accomodating: (selection apparent in dining halls; not so much so otherwise)</p>
<p>Muhlenberg College
Ithaca College
American University (GF there but not clearly marked or abundant)</p>
<p>GF not evident as of now:</p>
<p>Union College
Hobart William Smith (although we were told that there were accomodations for dietary restrictions)
Binghamton University (this was the worst of the bunch; the people working did not even know what we were talking about)
Quinnipiac University</p>
<p>Please add to this list on an ongoing basis…</p>
<p>Have a student with celiac who graduated last year. She had our dining hall prepare special meals for her - so I know she too it very seriously. She is at Case Western studying to be a nurse, so I’m sure she felt their arrangements to be satisfactory.</p>
<p>Umich recently started identifying gluten free meals on their menus, there’s usually SOMETHING at every meal but someone with celiac would probably still need to do a bit of supplementing here and there with a microwave in their dorm. I am dairy free and restricted to the designated vegan meals because of that, and it’s a similar situation, so I do a lot of cooking in my microwave or in the kitchenette to supplement because sometimes the ONE vegan option is only a side dish or some food I’ve never heard of and may not like-- same for gluten-free. There is little to no choice at meal times if you have a dietary restriction so when that choice isn’t to your liking you have to be able to supplement it yourself.</p>
<p>watching this thread closely. D2 is not diagnosed with celiac but has many autoimmune issues that seem to co-exist with it. also tested as high risk genetically but not presenting with the disease in bloodwork. </p>
<p>going gluten free has calmed some of the immune issues, it seems. so she is sticking with the diet, and is being called ‘gluten intolerant’.</p>
<p>I wonder how many of these institutions need you to be truly diagnosed with celiacs disease or a wheat allergy to get true gluten free dining.</p>
<p>Not to wander too far off-topic, but I find this subject fascinating. Not one person I knew in high school or college was gluten intolerant. Not one of my older kid’s contemporaries was gluten intolerant. I’d never even heard of this condition until 6 or 7 years ago, when one of my younger kid’s friends was finally diagnosed after years of puzzling ailments. Now so many people seem to have it, there are tons of gluten free options in the supermarket and, per this thread, it is expected that colleges will accommodate this dietary restriction. So were there just lots of people who suffered undiagnosed for centuries? Or is there something in our contemporary lifestyle that brought about a new syndrome (analogous to the rise of asthma)? Is is overdiagnosed or perhaps are some people who avoid gluten just self-diagnosing a “trendy” disease?</p>
<p>^It existed for a very long time with very limited awareness. It is entirely possible you knew some people who were sick all the time and didn’t know why. That isn’t to say that it hasn’t become more common in recent years, but I would be reluctant to believe that you know for a fact that NO ONE you knew had it. </p>
<p>If anyone is doing it to be trendy, they’re idiots. I am very aware of gluten-free offerings in grocery stores and restaurants because that’s usually where I am going to see my dairy-free stuff, and even though lately it seems like there’s a lot more awareness and a lot more offerings, it’s still not easy at all to have those kinds of dietary restrictions. Especially if you can’t afford to shop at specialty stores.</p>
<p>ETA: It took me a while to find this tidbit, but the earliest diagnosis I am personally aware of was Mickey Redmond in 1996. So it was being diagnosed at least 15 years ago apparently. I remember hearing in an interview that he’d been sick for a long time before they figured it out.</p>
<p>pumpkin - a very close friend was diagnosed with Celiac Disease 3 years ago with no other symptoms except for anemia. She also has another AI condition. She told me that the only way to confirm the diagnosis was with an endoscopy and that a blood test is not conclusive. Just so happens that even with removing gluten from her diet, she still has issues with iron absorption. Go figure. She asked her doctor if her strict diet was not affecting her only symptom why she should continue and he had one word - lymphoma.</p>
<p>I also have another friend who became gluten intolerant almost overnight. He had no apparent GI issues and now if he consumes ANY gluten, he becomes violently sick.</p>
<p>It is very complicated, like most AI diseases.</p>
<p>D2 has had the following: vitilligo, cough variant asthma, age 1.5 until now, alopecia, age 10, hashimotos, at age 11, psoriasis, age 8 or 9, various digestive problems (severe constipation, bouts of diarrhea, very low threshold for vomiting). Out of school in grade 7 for 3 weeks with many different things. Clearly, immune system not quite right.</p>
<p>Blood test showed very low IG antibodies…so low, it’s probable that she’s IG deficient and would never test positive for celiacs (which is another co-existent thing for some celiacs) Genetic test showed high risk, as I mentioned. Our family heritage is western Irish - another popualation that has celiacs at a sort of high rate. And, my father’s sister just died of complications of what was probably untreated celiacs. It kicks in at ANY point in your life.</p>
<p>Not putting d2 through an endoscopy, because that would involve introducing gluten back to her diet, and then a rotten test. Diet seems to have helped symptoms. No cough come October 15 (it was like the swallows to Capistrano), hair that fell out over the summer came back quickly, no stomach issues for months, not sick at all so far this year, not even a cold. Psoriasis looks slightly better, she grew 3 inches in a short period of time and just looks healthier. And for a 14 year old to deny herself pizza, cupcakes, crackers, bread, fried and coated anything, certain sauces, pasta etc…she’s a believer. It’s hard.</p>
<p>It may be a fad for some, for others, a greater awareness of a possibility. I considered it several years ago, but I did not think she could commit to trying it with the rigor it requires. And there is no harm in trying it - you will lack for some vitamins and fiber…just supplement. Her pediatrician is fine with it.</p>
<p>She’s an expert ingredient statement reader now. I am an expert convenience product buyer. Restaurant ordering is a challenge…we look at the menu ahead of time. Chain restaurants are a bit better than private. </p>
<p>And then I started doing it to support her, and to cook for our family in a way that suited her and didn’t bore us to death. What an eye opener. (and she gets the gene combo from one of us, and I must be it) I have to admit I feel a little different after 6 weeks. My rosacea is much better and I feel better. However, it’s a diet - and that might be the reason I feel better. More whole foods, less processed foods, etc.</p>
<p>So, I wonder what college food selection will be like. If you are not diagnosed with something very specific, will they make you that naked chicken breast?</p>
<p>Not even sure if I WANT her diagnosed with ANYTHING, given the way our health system works!</p>
<p>Pumpkin - Sounds like it is not easy at all for your D. Fortunately, there are many options now that did not exist 5 yrs ago. My friend with CD talks all the time about how she cannot imagine how she would have eaten 10 yrs ago if she suffered with it then. AI diseases are so diverse and different for most everyone. Best of luck to your family!</p>
<p>pumpkin: Maybe putting your daughter on wheat in order to do an endoscopy would be difficult depending on how long she would have to eat it, but the endoscopy is NOT a big deal. It really isn’t a rotten test. Person is asleep and remembers none of it. My 17 D was diagnosed at 13 with Crohn’s. She had an endoscopy and colonoscopy at that time and another one 3 years later. Her physician says it will basically be every 3 to 4 years for both scopes as long as she is fairly stable with the disease. I guess if she has a bad, on going flair up, she might need them more frequently.</p>
<p>I agree that endoscopy is absolutely no big deal. I just had one done last year. I thought it was fun. I slept through the whole thing and I got to see pictures of my stomach afterward. Woo hoo!</p>