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Teen with Celiac Disease Recognized Nationally as the Youth Soccer Player of the Month

January 27, 2015

Teen with Celiac Disease Recognized Nationally as the Youth Soccer Player of the Month

Kyle Robbins of Fayetteville, Georgia serves as an inspiration to kids who struggle with maintaining their gluten-free diet.

Kyle Robbins, a teen living with celiac disease, has a diagnosis story that is unfortunately quite common among families coping with the autoimmune condition. Kyle’s mom, Jocelyn, was amazed at the amount of food 18-month-old Kyle was consuming. He dealt with bouts of diarrhea and had the telltale bloated belly. Despite this, he was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and Jocelyn was told to give him anti-diarrheal medications as needed.

Soon after Kyle’s lactose intolerance diagnosis, Jocelyn was diagnosed with celiac disease after 11 years of searching for answers to her own ailments. She had Kyle tested immediately and sure enough, Kyle was diagnosed as well.

Today, Kyle is living proof that kids with celiac disease can thrive after adopting the gluten-free diet. Most recently, Kyle was the US Youth Soccer Player of the Month, presented by Olive Garden. This honor recognizes one male and one female player nationally for their athletic achievements, sportsmanship and citizenship.

Kyle Robbins today

Kyle Robbins

Kyle is taking charge both on and off the field. In addition to his soccer talent, he is also maintaining a 4.0 grade point average in Advanced Placement classes and is a member of the BETA Club and Science Olympiad team. US Youth Soccer also credits Kyle for being a humble player that never complains about the difficulties celiac disease can bring while traveling with the team.

Kyle and Jocelyn have been supporters of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) since their diagnoses. NFCA congratulates Kyle for his hard work and commends him for not letting a gluten-free diet stand in the way of his goals.

For more stories from kids living with gluten-related disorders as well as pep talks for managing a gluten-free life, head to NFCA’s child and parent hub, Kids Central.

Related Content:

Jocelyn Robbins’ Personal Story

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