Thanks for the hope - I know in a couple of months or years we will be
laughing about how we used to have to beg her to finish just one more
ounce of formula.  Our Speech therapist had us get a little Aligator toy
that vibrates and a "NUK" brush type thing that she plays with.  Her
coordination isn't good enough in order to do it by herself, but she
likes the toys and it has even helped her teeth to finally come in.  The
therapist is happy with her progress so far as for the thrust reflex
subsiding, I guess it is hard to just focus on one milestone at a time.
She is okay with some textures, the foods need to be thick due to her
aspiration problem, I just don't think she likes real food yet - It
seems that it takes her a little while and several tries in order to
like something.  She does that with toys - we get her a new one with
lights and sounds and she hates it until a month goes by of us giving it
to her and all of the sudden it is her favorite toy!!!  I guess I am
just a little impatient at times.  I love it when she learns something
new - I never noticed all of these milestones with my son who is 3 and
1/2 now.  Thanks for the help!!  Amy


Amy - Mom of Alexandra 15 months - Cleft lip/palate, Extrapyramidal CP,
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia and Hydrocephalous.

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cheryl Kloss
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 4:34 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: FW: [feeding] Re: Gag reflex

Amy,

Just a thought...we have a 10 year old now...who at your daughter's age
sounds very similar.  The great news is now...he eats anything and
everything...hamburgers to french fries...to pizza...yes the good
American diet.

A couple of ideas that worked for us...one was to give him one of those
plastic (rubber) soft therapy toys to mouth...it was a spider with legs
and little spiny things on the legs....I think this helped to
desensitize is gag reflex....he would play with it and repeatedly
slightly gag himself...he loved the toy...and eventually didn't play
with it anymore....I think it played a great role in desensitizing
him...painlessly...ie. he did it himself...as much or as little as he
wanted.

Second...I made all of his and his twin's baby food...I know that sounds
like a lot ...but it was really easy...actually easier than going to the
store and hauling all of the baby food jars.  By making the baby food I
could slowly control the texture...it was not an all or nothing
task....and eventually...by age 3 he was eating everything.  If you are
interested I would be willing to share....I will reiterate it was
simple...(it had to be ...we had very sick twins...and a rambunctions 2
year old all at the same time).

It was so worth it...because his oral skills are now great...and nobody
would have ever predicted it....but it took lots of a patience.

Cheryl Kloss