My Mummy: The Coeliac

by Sarah Smith

My mummy is a ‘Coeliac’
Which is a rare disease
It means you have to eat very carefully
And not just how you please

You must not eat certain foods
Like, pasta, cakes and bread
That is because they have ‘gluten’ in them
(that’s what my mummy said)

If you eat things with gluten in them,
For most people it is ok
But if you are a coeliac your body
Reacts in a different way

Gluten is in wheat flour
And lots of things you eat
But it is not in some food groups
Such as vegetables and meat

The body mistakes gluten for a harmful bug,
Or bacteria trying to infect
So it attacks and fights against it
It’s your body it’s trying to protect

Because of the attack
Your insides become inflamed and tender
This happened to my mummy
But they said that they could mend her

When the insides of your gut
Are not working as they should
It makes it hard for all the cells
To absorb nutrients from your food

This means your body
May be lacking vitamins
This may cause tiredness
Or poor growth, and other things

Mummy said you may also get pains
In your tummy which come and go,
Sore, sensitive mouth ulcers,
Or just feel tired and low

Now mummy eats special foods
Which have no gluten inside
They are similar to what I eat
Except they don’t make her ill and tired

Remember that just by looking
You really cannot see
Whether something has wheat flour in it
Or if its ‘gluten free’

My mummy has a few tricks she does
So she is satisfied
That she is eating the right food
All of the time

When mummy is shopping
She goes to the special spot
With all the ‘gluten free’ food
There is an awful lot

So if you have this condition
Your life will not be changed in a big way
As long as you stick to your special diet
You will be ok!