Helping Your Child Understand Celiac Disease: Our Family Story and a Gentle Storybook for Kids

When a child is first diagnosed with celiac disease, it can feel overwhelming for everyone involved. Parents worry about growth, nutrition, and long-term health. Kids worry about unfamiliar words, new rules, and the sudden shift from “I eat what everyone else eats” to “I need something different now.”

I know those feelings well. Our family’s celiac journey began years ago and shaped so much of how we live, cook, travel, and care for our bodies today. Over time, through my volunteer work with families through the CHOP Celiac Center, I have heard so many similar stories from parents who felt scared, confused, and desperate to help their child feel safe and healthy again.

While our personal family story is different than the story you will read below, the themes are universal. A concerning doctor visit. A diagnosis that arrives quicker than expected. Big emotions. Big questions. And a path toward healing that becomes gentler once the entire family understands what celiac disease is and how to support a gluten-free lifestyle.

Again and again, parents share the same fear with me: How do I explain this to my child in a way they understand without scaring them?

That is why I created the children’s story below. It is inspired by the many stories I have heard from families I have worked with over the years at the CHOP Celiac Center. While the details do not match my own family’s exact journey, the emotional truth mirrors the experiences of so many families facing a new celiac diagnosis.

My hope is that this story can become a tool you can read with your child as they prepare for testing, navigate a recent diagnosis, or begin a new gluten-free lifestyle. It is written gently, simply, and with reassurance woven throughout.

Before we get to the story, here is a brief version of our family’s real journey and the personal shift that changed everything for us.

Our Celiac Journey: From Concern to Confidence

Our own journey began when one of my children wasn’t growing the way we expected. There were digestive issues, inflammation, discomfort that did not match her age, and moments where her body seemed to be signaling that something deeper was happening.

At the same time, I was navigating my own autoimmune health challenges. Hashimoto’s. Exhaustion and pain that felt disproportionate to my daily life. We learned, slowly and then suddenly, that gluten was something my body struggled with as well.

Over the years, as my family and I shifted to a gluten-free lifestyle, everything began to change. Our bodies healed. Our energy returned. Inflammation went down. Our home and kitchen transformed into a safe and nourishing space.

This lived experience, combined with the countless stories I hear through my work with individuals and families, has made celiac awareness, support, and compassion personal.

And while every family’s story is different, one truth remains the same: children need gentle explanations that help them feel brave, not broken.

That is where the story below comes in.

If your child is preparing for testing or newly diagnosed with celiac disease, you are not alone. It is overwhelming at first. It is emotional. It is life-changing.

But kids are resilient. Families adapt. And with support, education, and a gluten-free lifestyle, children with celiac disease can thrive, not just physically, but emotionally too.

Feel free to print or read this story with your child. Adapt it. Personalize it. Use it as a bridge between fear and understanding.

A Gentle Story for Kids: Annie Grace and the Super-Strong Tummy

A story inspired by the many families I have worked with through my practice or through my volunteer time with the CHOP Celiac Center. While our family’s journey is different than this one, this story can help you talk to your own child about celiac disease in a comforting, child-friendly way.

Annie Grace and the Super-Strong Tummy

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Annie Grace. Annie was two years old, with bright eyes and the happiest giggle you ever heard.

Annie loved playing with her toys, building tall block towers, and eating snacks like toast, noodles, and crackers. But one day, something didn’t feel right. Annie’s tummy felt tight. Her body felt tired. And even though she was growing older, she wasn’t growing taller.

At her check-up, the doctor looked closely at her chart and said gently,
“Annie hasn’t grown since her last visit. I think we should check something called celiac disease.”

Celiac disease is a tricky thing. It means Annie’s tummy did not like gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, and many yummy snacks. Gluten made her tummy hurt and kept her from growing strong.

So Annie and her family went to a special place where doctors help kids with belly troubles. They met a warm and caring doctor who said,
“We are going to take such good care of Annie.”

After some tests, the doctor said,
“Annie has celiac disease. But she is going to feel so much better once she eats gluten-free food.”

At first, Annie wasn’t sure. Gluten-free sounded like a big, new, confusing word. But soon her family found all sorts of delicious gluten-free foods. Gluten-free pizza. Gluten-free pasta. Gluten-free cookies. Even gluten-free pancakes.

And guess what? Annie liked them.

Day by day, Annie’s tummy stopped hurting. Her body felt stronger. Her energy came back. She laughed more, played more, and started to grow again.

Now Annie is seven years old. She has been gluten-free for five whole years, and she is thriving. She runs fast, dances freely, and asks brave questions when she needs help.

Annie is a celiac superhero. She knows what keeps her body healthy. She knows how to stay safe. And she knows that being different does not make her any less amazing.

In fact, it makes her incredibly brave.