to be very very upset that my friend gave my DC a sip of coffee.

[megandraper]

DS is 4. He is also coeliac.

In a cafe, while I was in the loo, apparently. Friend was giving her own child a sip of coffee, and offered DS one too. DS said 'Is it gluten free?' Friend said 'Yes', and gave it to him.

I don't think you should give other people's young children coffee, but especially not when they are coeliac. Friend could not have known if the coffee was safe. Even a tiny sip of anything that has been contaminated will cause damage. It wasn't her decision to make. Before I went to the loo, we had just been discussing the difficulty of ensuring safe food (I brought food for DS to the cafe, he didn't eat theirs).

I only found out several days later, when DS mentioned it. This may explain the tummy ache he had for a few days.

It just makes me feel very upset. I work so hard to ensure that DS has safe food, and there is still a long way to go before all his pre-diagnosis damage is repaired and he's back to full health.

Unlikely to see this friend again for a long time (we were visiting her town, which is a long way from ours) so may not be worth raising with her. It's just another worry. I've already had the 'always ask if something is gf' conversation with DS, now I will have to have the 'who can you trust to give you an accurate answer' conversation too.

Having done gluten free diets for kids for about ten years I wouldn't worry about coffee from a gluten pov, but I can't imagine giving a few year old coffee without checking with a parent tbh.

Few? Four.

Blackholes - many chocolate powders contain gluten as a thickening agent. Cadbury drinking chocolate, for example, is not gluten free.

And if someone else has stirred their gluten-containing drink (a hot chocolate or malt drink for example) - or used their teaspoon to touch a piece of cake - and then dipped it in the sugar bowl, then the sugar will be contaminated. Like taking butter from an open butter dish in a cafe - you don't know what utensils/crumbs other people have dipped in.

I have every confidence that ds will be in good health eventually - the last few months have made a transformative difference. But the gf diet does take vigilence.

And if you look at my post of 07.48 you will see why DS cannot always check with me before eating or drinking. I am not by his side 24 hours a day.

It's not about the actual coffee, it's about the situation. Coffee on its own is gluten free, all the other crap that people put in it/ on it, who knows? I would never give someone else's child anything if they had an allergy or condition which meant they had a specialised diet, unless I had the go ahead from a parent first.

I don't dispute that YANBU about someone giving coffee to your 4 yo btw; I'd be cross too.

I'm not very good at avoiding cross contamination though...

Oh and I guess I'm a bit ignorant about the choc powder they sprinkle on drinks; is it hot choc?

Oh and slightly pedantic point about your post of 7.48 or whatever; by asking you I obviously meant if you were with him, or someone else you trust if not. Jeez

ha, blackholes. but you are right, i will have to reinforce the 'check with me' thing.