Commentary: We’re under financial strain without prescriptions for gluten-free food

My daughter Piper became very ill at 18 months old: she was vomiting up to 20 times a day, had constant diarrhoea, and lost over a third of her body weight. I was so worried about her during the six months it took to get a diagnosis.

Once it became clear that it was not a stomach bug, the GP agreed to refer her to the gastroenterology team at the hospital, where blood tests indicated coeliac disease. Two weeks later biopsies showed that Piper definitely had coeliac disease.

Piper is now 10 and has eaten a gluten-free diet since the disease was diagnosed. Until August 2015 I could get some staple items …