A six-year-old girl can't play at friends' houses and risks a hospital visit every time she steps outside.
Etta Connor was finally diagnosed coeliac last year after becoming bloated as a baby.
She was put on a strict gluten-free diet by doctors as even a trace of gluten in the little one's digestive system could see her small intestine begin attacking itself.
This in turn would put her at risk of infertility, cancer, diabetes and other debilitating conditions.
Parents Caroline and Gary Connor of Brookwood, Surrey, immediately scrubbed their kitchen clean and bought new equipment after they learned about her diagnosis.
They are now adjusting to a new lifestyle where potential contamination is kept to a minimum.
Caroline, 35, told SurreyLive it is hard for Etta to visit family and friends: "She can't eat in someone else's kitchen because they will have gluten in them," she said.
"Because of her age it would be hard to explain to a parent what she can and can't eat, so it's safer to do play dates here."
The condition also makes other simple pleasures difficult. The family can't enjoy a picnic at a table in their local park in case the previous person who sat there was eating food with gluten and left traces behind.
Etta's school has also had to take steps to keep her safe, and there have been times while out and about that she has become contaminated somehow and has ended up being taken to the nearest accident and emergency ward.
In an effort to make the most of their situation and to raise awareness about coeliac disease, Etta and her parents are putting the bike she recently received for her birthday to good use by cycling 100 kilometres this month to raise money for charity Coeliac UK.
They are aiming to raise £1,000 via their fundraising page and, at the time of writing, they are already more than halfway towards their goal.
"We really want to raise awareness of this condition so more people can get a diagnosis sooner rather than later," said dad Gary, 40.
"We also hope that Etta gains confidence, pride and acceptance of who she is, knowing that there are many who will support her along the journey."
Coeliac disease affects around one in 100 people, but only 36 per cent of people are clinically diagnosed.
The average length of time taken for an adult in the UK to be diagnosed with the disease from the onset of symptoms is 13 years.
Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can include bloating, diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach pain
