Growing Up With a UCD Diet

Teaching children with UCD about their special diet helps them build independence and confidence in making healthy choices.

It's very important the children learn about their special diet and they can be excited about the foods that they're going to be eating.

I would highly recommend taking your children to the grocery store, having them involved in the planning, the shopping and the preparation of the food.

Also letting them have a little bit of flexibility on picking some things in their diet.

You would say which fruit would you like to eat today?

This one or this one?

Give them a little bit of independence and that will empower them to make their own decisions and like any other child, praise them when they make a good decision.

A lot of kids that go into college, they use their cafeteria.

So we'll review options about eating out, what to look for when you are at a cafeteria or a restaurant and you wanted to make a safe choice for your low protein diet.

Stay away from foods that are creamy or soups or salad dressings if they're creamy, those things tend to have milk and tend to be higher in protein.

If there is an option of gluten free bread for a sandwich, that would be an option as well.

And always eating fruits and vegetables with meals.

Your goal is to try to teach them so that they can learn enough to be able to go out on their own and be able to go to college or do whatever they want to later in life, and be well prepared to take care of themselves and keep themselves in good metabolic control.

They have a a need for independence and making their own choices and it can be challenging.

It's helpful to bring their couple of close friends to be involved to help and support them during times where they feel that they want to cheat on a diet.

If they have a good friend with them, it's a good help.

Also finding a support group where you can find somebody.

At your age you might not be a friend that you see everyday, but you communicate on the Internet and can exchange experiences.

It's also very helpful.