This Week In Review-Looking Ahead

Well, for the past week or so, we've seen quite an increase in vomiting. For awhile he vomited the morning feeds but held down the afternoon/evening/overnight feeds. Then he started only holding down feeds while he was asleep and now he even wakes during a feed and throws up or throws up three hours later when the food ought to be digested. He has lost some more weight, down from 20 lbs. 15 oz to 20 lbs. 8 oz. He's not dehydrated so far, but the poor kid is hungry before his next feeding is due and I guess that's because he's thrown up everything in his tummy. Early in the week we talked to the doctor who said she'd try to move up the swallow study. Then we talked to the OT at Child Development and told her how we've gone backwards in his tolerance of oral stimulation. She said that we'd be lucky if he was even able to get the study done on the 13th at this rate.

He has thrown up his tube several times and we gave going tubeless a good, honest effort. We gave him time and lots of textures and modes of feeding and he was unwilling to attempt any of them. It was obvious to us that, as much as we'd like him to be, he's just not ready to "just take the tube away and when he gets hungry enough he'll eat."

We've not gotten much practice in with oral stim this week because he's been so miserable with all the vomiting. Each time it's a whole process to change him, wash him down and get him dressed again, only to have him puke all over the clean set up once we finish! He's basically been sitting in the high chair while we eat and playing with food. We put food, utensils and water or juice in a sippy or bottle on his tray and let him experiment but he doesn't usually do much. When he does we make a big deal out of it. His pincer grasp is coming along nicely though! This is progress.

When the PT came this Friday (her second visit so far) she remarked that he already is getting stronger. Noticeable improvement in only a week is fabulous! When he's sitting, he's pretty good about going to the sides and forward but he has a hard time coming back up once he starts falling backward. His abs are starting to strengthen enough to where he's beginning to self-correct when this happens. We are very proud. He loved bouncing on the therapy ball.

This upcoming week is another busy one for him. He goes to the pediatrician for a 9 month (yes, he's 9 mos. already!) well baby checkup and vaccinations on Tuesday. Then he has OT at 11:30 on Tues. and PT on Friday at 8am.

He is so happy other than when he is throwing up. Please continue to storm heaven with your prayers for God to heal him fully--both his heart and his tummy.