It has been some time since I last posted about our Failure
To Thrive journey, so I thought I’d give you an update. In the last blog post I
listed the new rules for our little monkey to follow for eating. My new rules
were based off of what I read in the book “Helping Your Child with EPE (Extreme
Picky Eating)”. We have since seen an
Occupational Therapist (OT) and have had a few more trips to the Dr.’s
office.
To say that our OT gave us some hope is an understatement.
We were very happy with how our appointment went and with the new techniques
that the OT wanted us to start using. She loved the new rules I presented her
and even added a few herself. We discussed Madison’s eating habits, foods aversions,
sensory issues, and oral motor issues. She noticed that Maddie had an issue
rotating her jaw when chewing and preferred biting her fingers to biting food. After examining and discussing Madision, our OT
implemented a these new rules:- Madison is to use a chewy tube when she wants to bite down on something. This will save her fingers and help with her oral motor issues.
- She will use a good bye bowl to dispose of food that she doesn’t want to eat. She has to kiss, lick, blow or tap the food to her teeth before disposing of it into the bowl. What goes in the bowl does not come out.
- No liquids one hour before a meal. Pediasure is given after she is done eating. Solids are always given first
- Let her know she doesn’t have to eat it
- Talk about the properties of foods: texture, color, and so on.
Since obtaining these new rules and having my list approved,
we have tried to implement them all to the best of our ability. It isn’t easy to stay on a routine,
especially when having to be out and about running errands or attending Dr.’s
appointments. Sadly, since starting
these new routines, Madison’s eating has gotten worse. She refuses her Pediasure often, she suddenly
doesn’t like her ‘safe’ foods, and will only eat unhealthy foods. She refuses
to drink shakes or smoothies now, and hasn’t gained any weight.
Our stress levels have gone through the roof. Some people
tell us not to worry because it is just a phase, while others scare us with
thoughts of having the need of a GI feeding tube placed. We are trying to avoid
the hospital and GI tube as best we can. These treatments are worst case
scenario and I pray we are not headed there.
We are taking things one day at a time and we shall see where we go from
here.
