No More Feeding Therapy

I haven't updated in a while on Colby's feeding therapy. We have had a crazy experience to say the least! During the first therapy session, his therapist shared a spoon with him...she ate from the spoon and then allowed him to eat from the spoon. I honestly thought that it was just an accident. I kept telling myself that she shared the spoon unintentionally, so I didn't say anything and let it go. Two days later, we took Colby to the pediatrician's office and were told he had Strep Throat.

Before his second therapy session, I warned his therapist that Colby was just getting over Strep Throat. I thought that would make her very conscious about whose spoon was whose. Well, I was wrong! Again, she shared a spoon with Colby. At this point, I am in complete shock and unable to say anything. I did not want to offend her, but I was seriously grossed out by a stranger sharing a spoon with my "cardiac kid" who does not need to get sick! His half heart cannot handle illness very well. As soon as we left that session, I called his cardiologist's office to get some advice. I had no idea how to handle this situation.

Mary Beth, our cardiologist's nurse, called me back the following Monday. By this time, Colby now had a stomach bug and was throwing up! So, after both sessions of spoon sharing, he gets sick! I guess it could be a coincidence, but it is not very likely, especially since Colby has not been sick a hand full of times his entire life!

Mary Beth spoke with a Speech Pathologist that does some feeding therapy for the cardiac patients while they are in the hospital. They were both shocked that spoons were being shared. The speech pathologist actually called the therapy center to discuss with the supervisor. Apparently, this is something that the majority of the therapists do. Gross! I cannot even express to you how upset this made me! I wasn't sure what we were going to do now, but I knew for sure we would not be returning to this center for feeding therapy!!

After the speech pathologist made some phone calls to other therapy centers, she suggested that we try a center in Mt. Juliet called Lyttle Fox. She also suggested that the therapist at Lyttle Fox evaluate Colby for an oral motor feeding problem. His former feeding therapist was focusing on a sensory approach, but that would not be helpful to him because he does not have any sensory issues. So, last Monday, we went to Lyttle Fox to meet with another feeding therapist. After spending a little time with Colby and speaking to me, the therapist basically said there was nothing she could really do for Colby because he has NO feeding issues. He doesn't have sensory issues with certain foods and he does not have any oral motor problems, such as chewing and swallowing.

As you can imagine, I left this appointment very happy but also very frustrated!! Why in the world was the other therapy center so adamant about him needing feeding therapy when he doesn't! Yes, he is small, yes he can be a picky eater, but yes, he is a TWO year old! I don't think I have met a 2 year old yet that isn't picky or stubborn at times.

Anyways, long story short...Colby does not need feeding therapy. The wonderful therapist at Lyttle Fox made some great suggestions about adding extra calories to his preferred foods, encouraged me to keep trying new foods with him, and basically made me feel so much better!