Welcome to Holland

I have been reading  Getting Your Kid on a Gluten-Free Casein-Free-Diet (I previously posted about this book here ) .  The author, Lord, reprinted the Holland poem in her introduction.  Read the Holland poem here .  When I first opened this book I found myself annoyed at seeing this Holland poem.  I didn't even finish reading the introduction I simply skipped to the cookbook section.  This cookbook is filled with lots of kid friendly gluten free recipes which also happen to be Casein (dairy) free.  We do not have any dairy issues but many children who have gluten issues also have dairy issues. It is not uncommon to find gluten free recipes that are also casein free.  In addition, many families whose children are diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often removed gluten and casein from their child's diet as many studies show that a GFCF diet is effective in treating the symptons of Autism. The author's daughter was diagnosed with ASD at the age of three and has been on a GFCF diet for almost nine years and now fallis into the more general category of  'cognitive disability'.  Back to the Holland poem......I was annoyed at seeing the poem in the introducion.  I first came across this poem when the children were first born and found it comforting.  When G was diagnosed again I reread the Holland poem and was comforted.  Discovering this poem again in this book was simply annoying.  I already lived in Holland.....I wanted to take a vacation.  I know, I know.....poor me.  Husband pulled me from this place and we began to enjoy the tulips once again.  This morning I opened the introduction again and began to read.  The author followed the Holland poem with comments similar to my own thoughts.  She had grown up with a Down Syndrome brother and had found herself living in Holland at the age of three....pregnant with her first child she had her bags packed for Italy....she had done her time in Holland.  She goes on to say that she has learned many valuable lessons in Holland.  Eventually, the author had another child and finally got to visit Italy.  Italy turned out to be over-rated allthough she is grateful she go a taste of the fruit there.  (Fruit is GF) She spends most of her time in Holland now....she is very comfortable there.  She actually perfers it to Italy now. 

Image : Dutch Tulip Field