coeliac disease in French schools

[Berlioz]

Yesterday we had a diagnosis of coeliac disease (gluten allergy) for our very tiny 11yo. thank god for PPP...   NHS would never have found it this decade as she didn't have all the classical symptoms. Still in shock really.

We had already found schools (International for our 16yo to do Int IB, and French College with british section/IGCSE  for 11yo ) and were planning to move next summer to  France and are having intensive french lessons.   (info from forum members incredibly helpful in this quest and choice of final location based entirely on schooling, see my previous postings) Eventually I hope we will move towards a med climate before I cease up all together/am too old to care

We are clearly a family with major auto immune health problems, (I have fibromyalgia which virtually dissapears in summer /dry weather and when in the south of France out of constant drizzle!) I'm a bit like human seaweed weather prediction!  so now I am asking forum members if anyone has any experience in the 'problem' health area re schooling/availability of gluten free foods/healthcare etc in France. ( i.e is it possible to take a packed lunch to school?) Our daughter is an incredibly plucky child and is really looking forward to moving to France.

I am currently in receipt of  Incapacity Benefit which will continue in France and enable me, and my dependants to join the French system without too much cost (I think based on the UK Gov web site and searching the health forum) My other half (who is bilingual) will continue to consult to the UK wine industry commuting to London with his Ltd Co. We are planning to swap living in UK  and commuting to France to living the other way round with no mortgage as I am now effectively unemployable as an accountant

I will also post this on the Education forum.

Thanks to all.

Donna

 

[Liz]

I'm not sure I can be much help on this, particularly in the area of packed lunches.  I have a friend who has coeliacs and a year or so ago she wanted to visit France and asked me what the prospects were for her finding something to eat.  I posted on here but got no replies.  I had a look on the Internet and there were a few french web sites I think.  In the end my friend managed by being very selective in what she ate, avoiding patisseries to her great regret!  In the UK she gets bread by prescription from the NHS and the big supermarkets seem to have a few suitable products.  But this is very little understood condition in the UK and my friend has been offered the most unsuitable things when staying in NHS hospitals for other reasons.  I hope you are successful in finding more understanding in France.

Liz (29)

[Russethouse]

>>But this is very little understood condition in the UK and my friend has been offered the most unsuitable things when staying in NHS hospitals for other reasons<<<

Seems to be lots of stuff in Waitrose now Liz, but they do seem to be mostly a south of England chain.

Guy who delivered our breadmaker said they use theirs for making gluten free bread.

Hope you find something positive for your daughter, Donna

[Berlioz]

I had the answer to the lunch issue in 'Education' so know what the procedure is now. I did try a search on here but nothing came up.

We live near a huge Waitrose which was my first stop after seeing the consultant!  The bread  is really expensive and tastes awful so she won't eat it but the pasta is Ok! We do have a breadmaker so will try making some when I have collected the gluten free flour etc from the doctors later.

Lots of people assume that it is just wheat that has to be avoided but rye, barley, oats and anything derived from them like thickeners etc are also off limits.  There is a vast amount of info on the net and I am on a steep learning curve at the moment!

Does anyone know of a French web site with medical info regarding prescriptions, % covered under the health system?