I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was 12 years old. I was in middle school and it was tough of course. I feel like I have learned a *few* things over the years. 😉
It was a joint effort between myself and my parents figuring this illness out. It was all trial and error, from the medications, to seeing different doctors, to changing my diet, to learning that some days I would just need to rest, and so much more.
Although I had personal struggles growing up (and still do) with IBD, as a kid the social aspect was really hard. I had extremely understanding and accommodating friends, thank goodness. These ladies always made sure I would be able to eat wherever we were and never made me feel like an outcast.
But it was more of my own longing for foods I wanted that was hard. I hated missing out on my old favorite foods. From the staples I used to eat daily, like cereal and milk, to those occasional treats like pizza or cake, that I would have to pay a price for if I decided to indulge.
From being a 7th grader to moving on to high school and then college, there were a lot of things my parents and I did, that made life a little easier.
In this free downloadable PDF guide geared towards parents with children who have Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, or a similar condition, I share my best tips for helping your child through each of these stages of life.
I included tips for in-school scenarios, friends/family/birthday parties, and eating at home.
The main points all of my tips drive home are to:
- Restore normalcy as much as possible
- Help them to not feel alone
- Communicate, communicate, communicate!
How was your experience, or your child’s, having Crohn’s or colitis in these situations? Share in the comments if you have any other tips I didn’t include!
