can i get help with expence?

katie1

I have had a awfull morning trying to get my daughters school to accommodate her diet. The cook past me on to the manager of catering for that school, she told me i had to get another referal from the Dr because the last was is too old (last years ). Then she will give it to the dietitian to make a menu up for gluten free. I asked for dietitians number so i could discuss this direct and maybe we could make a menu up together becuse when this happened last time my dd didnt like much which was on menu i.e lemon chicken, tuna etc... she will only have one choice a day , unlike the other kids who have around three so its got to be something she likes. she flattely refused to give me dietitian number or name, said i was to go through her.

so i have since rang my dd dietitian and she said she will ring the dietitian in question to ring me direct and sort this out , she also told me there was no need for another referal.

How can it be so hard to make a menu up for a child to eat:mad: she's sick of pack lunch !!

lil_me

If you contact the LEA they should be able to put you in touch with or give you contact details for the dietician.

They shouldn't be refusing to deal with the matter or making it difficult

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001069

I assume looking at the menu from my sons school that each day what they cook for the other children there would be choices from that which are suitable for a GF diet on most days, maybe they also need some awareness training to show them what is suitable/unsuitable.

katie1

Thank you very much for the link lil-me but its all gobbly gook to me :rotfl: , i dont know where to begin looking.

i'm confused aswell a few people (includind hubby) have asked me why i dont claim DLA for dd but i dont look at it as a disability just a food intollerance

Js_Other_Half

Her coeliac disease may not seem a disablity to you, but if there's any chance of getting DLA for her I am sure the extra money will be used wisely. Have you been in touch with http://www.coeliac.co.uk/ ? Whether you realise it or not you will spend much more time on her than a child without these issues (even if it's only the amount of time taken to read every single ingredient on her foods).

There are a number of children I've worked with over the years who are gluten intolerant - all of them have hot dinners at their schools - but these are special schools. They are also accomodated at their respite care units.

I would be very surprised if the educational authority didn't have a legal responsiblity to feed her food that meets her needs. Contact your local paediatrics department and ask to speak to a paediatric dietician? Get your local councillor involved asap too.

katie1

Schools do not currently have to provide gluten-free meals. I have just found this info from http://www.coeliac.co.uk/ which i must admit as very much surprised me. I thought they had to accommadate the childs needs?

Penny-Pincher!!

katie1 wrote: »

How can it be so hard to make a menu up for a child to eat:mad: she's sick of pack lunch !!

Could you not change her pack lunch menu at all so that she has some variation

PP
xx

katie1

she has different foods in her lunch box.i'm not that boring that i give her the same:rotfl: she wanted to have a warm lunch !

lil_me

Downside is she may not always be offered a warm lunch, many items on my sons menu do not include warm food, it's more based on nutrition now, a lot of salads, sandwich options etc. Thermos make many products which can help keep food warm.

katie1

lil_me wrote: »

Downside is she may not always be offered a warm lunch, many items on my sons menu do not include warm food, it's more based on nutrition now, a lot of salads, sandwich options etc. Thermos make many products which can help keep food warm.

Her school don't allow hot lunches brought from home "health and safety"
i know stupid rule but hey thats school rules for you :rotfl:
Looking at the school menu today there is always a hot dinner choice at her school.Just not sure when it get change for her if they will always be one.