Dylan Dreyer Draws Some Ire as She Opens Up About Son's Celiac Diagnosis
Dylan Dreyer
Dylan Dreyer probably wasn't expecting such a sour response when she offered fans a little insight into managing her son's celiac disease for Celiac Awareness Month.
After uncovering what she called "an old 'gluten cabinet'" in her kitchen, where she had stockpiled foods containing gluten after her oldest son, Calvin, was diagnosed, the Today anchor took to Instagram with what seemed like a sweet anecdote about navigating his new dietary restrictions.
"...at the beginning of Calvin’s celiac diagnosis, I thought I’d carefully use the stuff in this secret cabinet for everyone else in the family," she explained alongside a photo of a trash bag full of the products. "I quickly learned it’s a lot easier for ALL OF US to go completely gluten free in our home," explaining that whether she's cooking or ordering in, everyone forgoes the protein in order to protect the boy. As a result, "Calvin has never been 'glutened'" within the house.
"I’m not saying everyone should do this," she offered as a disclaimer, explaining that it's simply the best method for them to maintain a stress-free and safe environment for him, but fans still felt the implication was too strong.
One follower accused her of promoting unhealthy practices to others, writing that "it’s not healthy to go gluten free if you don’t have celiac disease. I’m sure you’ve read them but your post is insinuating others should do it too."
Some followed up in agreement, with another accusing Dreyer of "creat[ing] an issue for everyone in her family" by preventing her other children from enjoying things like "going to a kid's birthday party"—presumably because of the cake—and therefor implying that others should follow suit.
Others clapped back on behalf of Dreyer, pointing out where she specifically "said in the caption that it may not be for everyone, but it’s what works for their family," drawing attention to the "devastating consequence" of accidentally ingesting gluten when you have celiac disease or a similar intolerance.
Dreyer also jumped back in, repeating that the process works for them before assuring people, "My other son eats gluten in school, my husband and I eat gluten at work, and my little guy gets gluten snacks outside our home. We’re good!"
Many also criticized her for trashing the products, which included flour, pasta, and cookies, rather than donating them, though the meteorologist did later point out that everything in the cabinet had been sitting there for at least a year and was past its expiration date.
Calvin, 7, was diagnosed about a year ago, after "a lot of random symptoms" that didn't seem to be related, she explained in the comments. He suffered from rashes, headaches, earaches, and weakness in his hands, as well as a stomach ulcer. The boy "was in pain constantly and laying on the couch for an hour after dinner." A "simple blood test," which she advocates for all children to receive, gave them their answer.
Next, Fans Gush Over Adorable Video of Dylan Dreyer’s Son Mastering a Skill: ‘Way to Go Rusty’
