In preparation for yesterdays appointment I had to fill in a 10 page questionnaire! Much of it focused on food so I really wasn't sure what they would be able to help with. That said, I was as anxious as anything, as if Emma's very future depended on the outcome - it's tough to downplay any unknown factor in development!
After dropping Toby at Nanna's (THANK YOU!!) we headed to the hospital. I just needed to swing by Chick Fil A for some nuggets. No, not for me - we had to bring food she likes and food she has refused before. I took several options but I new that the little chunks of real chicken would demonstrate her abilities well. Of course, Emma was starving not having been allowed breakfast!
We got there at 8.25am which was actually late since you're supposed to be there 20 minutes ahead of time. Oh well - I had to go to a different Chick Fil A and the traffic was a little busy. Emma agreed to go in the stroller so I could get from the car to the appointment a little faster.
We didn't have to wait long before we were shown into the room we would spend the next two hours in...
I have been in a lot of doctors offices, many at this hospital. This was possibly the most drab and uninspiring - silly when it's used to evaluate a child's behavior.
You saw yesterdays quote of the day I presume, so you know that Emma was initially in a good mood and saw the fun in it (a great skill!). The nurse explained that we would be seen by two groups of people: an occupational therapist, speech therapist and psychologist, then a nurse practitioner and dietician. After that they would all discuss the issues and present a plan.
The first group came in and Emma was a little wary - small room with 3 new strangers. They did something which I really try and avoid and that was ask me a bunch of questions about Emma - while she is sat there totally disengaged.
Shortly after they began Emma asked "can I eat my nuggets now?" The team agreed and Emma started to scoff down the nuggets - and I mean scoff, she couldn't eat them fast enough!! Then she asked for a drink, which was great. I gave her some water in a sippy cup.
A little while later the speech therapist added some thickener to the water - in front of Emma - doh!! Emma flat our refused to touch it. I tasted it first and it didn't taste of anything, but she could see it, it looked like soap, not water!
As soon as they were done Emma started to ask to go home. A couple of minutes later the next team came in and Emma was distracted by the nurse listening to her with a stethascope and the usual examination stuff.
Once they were done we had to wait more. Emma had finished eating and was not happy to be there, but she kept drinking water from the sport bottle I had! I don't know if she was responding to the discussion she'd been listening to.
To pass the time I out on my phone's iPod and blasted out some music in the room so we could dance the time away!!
Then the nurse came back with some of the teams findings...(I know this is all you wanted to know!!)
We'll also introduce a reward system for practicing once a day. Any other drinking will be voluntary. It's such a daunting program, I admit I was really hoping for a quick fix!! But as with all of the longest journeys, it starts out with one small step after another.
After dropping Toby at Nanna's (THANK YOU!!) we headed to the hospital. I just needed to swing by Chick Fil A for some nuggets. No, not for me - we had to bring food she likes and food she has refused before. I took several options but I new that the little chunks of real chicken would demonstrate her abilities well. Of course, Emma was starving not having been allowed breakfast!
We got there at 8.25am which was actually late since you're supposed to be there 20 minutes ahead of time. Oh well - I had to go to a different Chick Fil A and the traffic was a little busy. Emma agreed to go in the stroller so I could get from the car to the appointment a little faster.
We didn't have to wait long before we were shown into the room we would spend the next two hours in...
I have been in a lot of doctors offices, many at this hospital. This was possibly the most drab and uninspiring - silly when it's used to evaluate a child's behavior.
You saw yesterdays quote of the day I presume, so you know that Emma was initially in a good mood and saw the fun in it (a great skill!). The nurse explained that we would be seen by two groups of people: an occupational therapist, speech therapist and psychologist, then a nurse practitioner and dietician. After that they would all discuss the issues and present a plan.
The first group came in and Emma was a little wary - small room with 3 new strangers. They did something which I really try and avoid and that was ask me a bunch of questions about Emma - while she is sat there totally disengaged.
Shortly after they began Emma asked "can I eat my nuggets now?" The team agreed and Emma started to scoff down the nuggets - and I mean scoff, she couldn't eat them fast enough!! Then she asked for a drink, which was great. I gave her some water in a sippy cup.
A little while later the speech therapist added some thickener to the water - in front of Emma - doh!! Emma flat our refused to touch it. I tasted it first and it didn't taste of anything, but she could see it, it looked like soap, not water!
As soon as they were done Emma started to ask to go home. A couple of minutes later the next team came in and Emma was distracted by the nurse listening to her with a stethascope and the usual examination stuff.
Once they were done we had to wait more. Emma had finished eating and was not happy to be there, but she kept drinking water from the sport bottle I had! I don't know if she was responding to the discussion she'd been listening to.
To pass the time I out on my phone's iPod and blasted out some music in the room so we could dance the time away!!
Then the nurse came back with some of the teams findings...(I know this is all you wanted to know!!)
- Emma is medically cleared to eat and drink at school without limitations.
- Emma is medically cleared for feeding therapy without limitations.
- We need to keep an eye on her weight since it has dropped after we reduced her formula by tube.
- We need to find a nutritional drink that she will drink.
- Getting Emma to drink more is going to take...PRACTICE!!!
We'll also introduce a reward system for practicing once a day. Any other drinking will be voluntary. It's such a daunting program, I admit I was really hoping for a quick fix!! But as with all of the longest journeys, it starts out with one small step after another.
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