There is a particularly annoying subset of people both online and in real life who live under the impression that just because they don’t have an allergy or disease, then it must basically not be real. As it unfortunately often is the case, these kinds of people tend to be what the internet has named as boomers.
A father vented online about a boomer who purposely and knowingly switched out his son’s dish for one with wheat after refusing to believe that celiac disease is real. We reached out to the dad in the story via private message and will update the article when he gets back to us.
Giving a child with a condition a food they can’t eat is simply cruel
Image credits: bernardbodo / envatoelements(not the actual photo)
But one father considered legal action after a boomer purposely switched out his son’s breakfast
Image credits: Dimaberlin / envatoelements (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Glittering_Major4871
Celiac disease comes with a whole host of complications
Image credits: LightFieldStudios / envatoelements (not the actual photo)
For those who are unaware, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes people to be intolerant of gluten. Which, I’m sure most of you are aware, is one of the most common proteins found in grains. This includes bread and really any products that have wheat, rye or barley in them. While it might not be as deadly as some food allergies, it’s still no laughing matter.
While most folks with celiac disease won’t exhibit any sort of immediate symptoms, like from food poisoning, there will still be some negative long term effects. Often folks with celiac disease will suffer from sudden weight loss or at least a lack of any weight gain. That might sound like a plus to some, but it’s possible to be below a healthy weight with no way to reach it. Remember, there is no treatment for this disease, the only thing anyone can do is just abstain from gluten for the rest of their lives.
However, at the moment, this boy most likely suffered a variety of gastrointestinal issues. Diarrhea is one of the more common symptoms, but eating gluten can also cause bloating, abdominal pain and even cramps. In extreme cases, the person can even suffer from oral ulcers. Remember, this is all being inflicted on a nine year old boy by a non-relative just because he thinks he knows better.
Celiac disease is unfortunately a lot worse than just “you can’t eat bread,” although that is punishment enough. Folks with celiac may also be at increased risk of depression and anxiety, as well as other mental issues. All in all, there are very solid reasons for the father to be angry, particularly if this was done maliciously.
The father’s anger was absolutely warranted
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Some commenters threw the word “poisoned” around. As dramatic as this might sound, it’s perfectly in place. Eating gluten might not be fatal to a person with celiac, but it’s certainly very uncomfortable. After all, if someone fed you spoiled chicken that gave you diarrhea and abdominal cramps, you would hardly take it as a light joke. Allergies and similar conditions are serious and can lead to medical complications.
Even worse, this is a little boy. Most conditions like this impact children considerably more, as they are not quite strong enough to resist it. While fortunately the boy was ok in this story, it’s entirely possible to imagine a scenario where that wasn’t the case. This perfectly justified the father’s anger at this event. Indeed, it’s probably for the best that he wants to seek actual legal action, as many people would take matters into their own hands.
Indeed, once all the facts are laid out, it’s surprising that the father hesitated to take action. Even if it was an accident, his anger would have been understandable, but this was even worse. This boomer (a term selected by the father himself) was dismissive, rude and ultimately cruel. The father is well within his rights to press charges. After all, if this boomer feels entitled to just ignore other people’s dietary restrictions and allergies, who knows what sort of issues he might cause later.
The dad shared some more thoughts in the comments
Readers were shocked at the boomer’s behavior and some gave a few suggestions
