Getting the Chewing down/long reply

[Guest guest]

Colleen,

I've been meaning to reply, but have not had the time up until now. My son,

Chase 3.8yo (Oral/vebal Apraxia, DSI, Hypotonia, GERD and G-Tube depenant),

attended two 12wk sessions of Oral Motor Feeding Group. The group is

conducted by an OT and an ST. There goals are to follow the " Hierarchy of

Eating " which in a nut shell goes something like this: 1st being anble

tolerate the food in the room-then tolerating the food in front of them (and

it's always being reinforced that they don't have to eat the food). 2nd

being able to touch the food, smell the food and maybe even lick the food

( still not having to eat the food). 3rd continuing to explore the food

trough touch, smell, and taste, and maybe taking a bite with front teeth

(being allowed to spit the food out)...Final results would be chewing and

swallowing.

They encourage the parents to participate, and we all sit around table and

start out by washing our hand, saying " I can take a wash cloth and wash my

wash my hands " and continue a with a few exerices with the wash cloth such

as putting on our faces, or spinning it, before returning it to the

collection bowl and moving to the next thing, usually whistles or something

that wakes up the mouth. The the plates are passed out, and they start with

a food such as pretzel stick, and say things like " I take a pretzel and put

it on my plate, but I don't have to eat it " then " I can pick up the pretzel

and hold it my teeth " or " I make it go crunch and spit it on my plate " .

I forgot to mention that prior to going to the table the therapists start

out playing with sensory toys and brushing on the mats.

The terapists remind us throughout the 12wks that we can teach manors later!

We also continued to this at home and still do. Chase is still not eating,

but the food has progressively moved further and further into the mouth, and

he can chew useing his back teeth now. However, he tires easliy and getting

through one cracker might be all he can do for the day. On the other hand,

he has his good days and bad, on a good day he ate 3/4 of a hotdog cut up.

This has been a slow process with our son, seeing that he first started oral

motor feeding group when he was 2yo. He use to gag/retch/vomit when eating

soft purees, leading to the g-tube placement for Failure To Thrive. But, one

thing I can't stress enough is that eating and speech go hand in hand. When

Chase makes progress in one area, progress in the area soon follows.

Kris

Colleen wrote:

> Thank you for your response, Heidi. I actually do have the Ark Grabber

and that store bought product that has the mesh to put the food in. It is

quite difficult to clean and the handle is pretty big as well. I will try

your idea as well. I really can't wait for my son to be able to chew and

eat independently. And of course, I really cannot wait for him to start

talking. Keep the faith and it will happen, that is what I tell myself.

Thank you again and if you have any other ideas for me, please share them!

>

> colleen

[Guest guest]

Colleen,

OH MY! I just read my reply to you and noticed that there was so much that I

left out. I thought I had plenty of time to go indepth about the Oral Motor

Feeding Therapy that has been working with Chase; BUT, since I am such a

slow typer (don't know how I ever made it through 4+yrs of college without

learning to type) I ran out of time trying to get ready for our family trip

to the zoo.

If you would like more info on the home methods we currently use with Chase,

or more info on Oral Motor Feeding Therapy, email me privately. Or if you

like, email me your phone # and times you are available, and we talk (much

easier than going back and forth with emails).

Take Care,

Kris

<<<<<<Kris wrote:

> Colleen,

>

> I've been meaning to reply, but have not had the time up until now. My

son,

> Chase 3.8yo (Oral/vebal Apraxia, DSI, Hypotonia, GERD and G-Tube

depenant),

> attended two 12wk sessions of Oral Motor Feeding Group. The group is

> conducted by an OT and an ST. There goals are to follow the " Hierarchy of

> Eating " which in a nut shell goes something like this: 1st being anble

> tolerate the food in the room-then tolerating the food in front of them

(and

> it's always being reinforced that they don't have to eat the food). 2nd

> being able to touch the food, smell the food and maybe even lick the food

> ( still not having to eat the food). 3rd continuing to explore the food

> trough touch, smell, and taste, and maybe taking a bite with front teeth

> (being allowed to spit the food out)...Final results would be chewing and

> swallowing.

>

> They encourage the parents to participate, and we all sit around table and

> start out by washing our hand, saying " I can take a wash cloth and wash my

> wash my hands " and continue a with a few exerices with the wash cloth such

> as putting on our faces, or spinning it, before returning it to the

> collection bowl and moving to the next thing, usually whistles or

something

> that wakes up the mouth. The the plates are passed out, and they start

with

> a food such as pretzel stick, and say things like " I take a pretzel and

put

> it on my plate, but I don't have to eat it " then " I can pick up the

pretzel

> and hold it my teeth " or " I make it go crunch and spit it on my plate " .

>

> I forgot to mention that prior to going to the table the therapists start

> out playing with sensory toys and brushing on the mats.

>

> The terapists remind us throughout the 12wks that we can teach manors

later!

>

> We also continued to this at home and still do. Chase is still not eating,

> but the food has progressively moved further and further into the mouth,

and

> he can chew useing his back teeth now. However, he tires easliy and

getting

> through one cracker might be all he can do for the day. On the other hand,

> he has his good days and bad, on a good day he ate 3/4 of a hotdog cut up.

>

> This has been a slow process with our son, seeing that he first started

oral

> motor feeding group when he was 2yo. He use to gag/retch/vomit when eating

> soft purees, leading to the g-tube placement for Failure To Thrive. But,

one

> thing I can't stress enough is that eating and speech go hand in hand.

When

> Chase makes progress in one area, progress in the area soon follows.

>

> Kris

>

[Guest guest]

Kris...where did you do this program at? We also went to an intensive

feeding program for , although I think I went to early...Now I think

would make so much more progress, but it is really expensive and not

covered.....