Hello All,

This is my 1st post on this fine site! My family (wife and 2 daughters) and I are hoping to move to Lethbridge. After many hours trawling the internet you are my last hope. Our 2 year old daughter is a coeliac and can only eat gluten free products. We are trying to find out if schools, kindergartens and day care centres cater for such a specialist diet.

Thanks all

Sean

Sorry cant help with query BUT this post is in the wrong forum anyway, try maple leaf or main forum.

try main forum. I posted about severe nut allergy a few days ago- do a search as some of the materials may be useful - someone posted a site with a shop etc

Hi,

Friends of mine have a 4 year old son w. the same condition. He is in pre-school, and all is fine i believe.

They do compain quite strongly about the cost of the wheat free products in the supermarket, but that is the only real problem they talk about.

Of course, all the usual stuff, where to eat out, etc. But i havent heard any mention of day care problems.

They do know that they can offset the cost of his food against tax dont they?

Not easily. I've long since given up trying to claim that sort of deduction.

Hi Sean

We too are moving to Lethbridge - in fact hubby already there working whilst I stay to sell house.

Here is the link to the Lethbridge School District. Havent been on here for quite some time but from what I can remember it gives you allsorts of info regarding all of the schools in the area.

http://new.lethsd.ab.ca/public/frameset.cfm

Here is also a site I have found for Day Care Centres for you too

http://www.canadachildcaredirectory....Lethbridge.htm

Am expecting my best friend to call me from Lethbridge and she has two of her kids in a Day Care Centre on the south side of town and I will try and ask her what her day centre is called. I do know that her middle one has learning difficulties and has to take medication etc throughout the day and they are really supportive of her regarding this.

When do you hope to be going out there ? Dont know whether you realise it or not but there are about 4 or 5 of us on here going to Lethbridge and one guy going to Fort Mcleod. I also know that there is already an expats group in town who get together for British celebrations such as Bonfire Night.

If you need anymore help please feel free to PM me

Gaynor

xxxx

Did some Googling.

Aslan Day Care Center states that it does not accommodate special diets.

Lethbridge Community College Day Care Centre states that, if a child requires a special diet, the parent has to supply it.

In my experience, day care centres that are attached to universities or colleges usually represent the best that a given community has to offer. So my guess is that Lethbridge Community College Day Care Centre is as good as it gets for a child who requires a gluten-free diet in Lethbridge.

Nutter's Bulk and Natural Foods in Lethbridge carries gluten free flour, pasta and cereal.

Regular supermarkets carry rice cakes and a limited selection of GF flour and pasta. Of course you need to read labels in order to be sure of what you're getting.

The Calgary Celiac Association lists four Lethbridge restaurants that serve GF food.

Hope that helps.

Many kids bring their own food from home anyway, so it would be nothing extra-ordinary if they bring their own "brown bag", and probably wisest, as you would know exactly what they are eating ....... that is until the little darlings swop dinners with their best friend!

Thanks for all the comments and pointers and sorry for posting this in the wrong forum!

Sean

Hi Gaynor,

We are well into the process and would hope to at least have 'landed' by August time. Depending on how things go back in blighty depends on when a permanent move would be made. The sooner the better though
Thanks for asking your friend about the coeliac issue when you speak to them. It's nice to hear that a few other 'expats' are heading out that way, and especially the bit about the expats group. That's gotta make the transition easier knowing other people who have seen and done it.

Anyway thanks again for all the info

Sean