Can't Crack the Code: Week 3 Feeding Therapy

David's first baseball game sat through 9 innings

They are starting to see what we have always seen, very few swallows. 

Every time David sees a new feeding therapist they are so optimistic during the evaluation.  He accepts foods, he puts food in his mouth, he sits through a 40 minute session.  If he gags and chokes, he tries again.  They all think it is going to be so easy. 

Well week 3 they had a team meeting and the result is the team is growing.  His first therapist at the Clinic is moving at the end of the month so we are getting a new therapist that works with kids with Down Syndrome, but wait there's more.  They are bringing in a third therapist who is certified for vital stim. 

They want to examine all possibilities through the therapy program which will go into week 6 and possibly 7.  Then if he still is not actively swallowing they will be looking for some much rarer possibilities.  This is wonderful news, why....they aren't giving up.....they aren't recommending continuing the same treatment for another three years with no results.  They appear determined to get to the bottom of this. 

I can't wait to play this through until the end.  This is my idea of possible outcomes: 1) he begins to swallow 2) he gets diagnosed with something new (repairable or not) 3) they never figure it out. 

The bottom line is I will feel at peace that we have done all we can do before we go back to our "normal" lives.  We can go on our family trip to Hawaii in July and David can start preschool in August.  And through it all he will be nourished one way or another and grow big and strong; goal met.

David checking out his new preschool at the local elementary school