I don't know if I should post this in families or adults or what, but I'll give this a try first. I'm posting this anonymously just because it involves a patient of mine and all the HIPPA training they give me makes me paranoid. I'm a speech-language pathologist and I'm evaluating a baby nexy week for feeding issues. I haven't met the baby but this is what I know so far. She is about a year and a half, diagnosed with CF at birth. According to my sources she is adorable, friendly and chubby, thanks to her G tube. A sad part of this story is that she is living in a shelter for babies who had some prenatal drug exposure and has been there for a long long time, the parents are not really involved at all. I don't have CF (so I don't have personal experience) although my boyfriend does and he's helping me out too, but I need some suggestions. She won't eat orally at all and I assume it's because she associates food with pain (the shelter says it's because the hospital force-fed her medicine... I don't know about that). I know she mouths non-food items like her toys so it's not a sensory thing. Those of you who have babies, or those of you who were babies ;-) can you think of ways to make food less threatening and more fun? I"d like to go in with some suggestions for the staff there (the staff seems fantastic). I'll keep you updated when I actually meet her (and let you know if I steal her since she sounds like a cutie!) It worries me that the poor kiddo could go to foster care before she's eating.
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advice on eating
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
I don't know if I should post this in families or adults or what, but I'll give this a try first. I'm posting this anonymously just because it involves a patient of mine and all the HIPPA training they give me makes me paranoid. I'm a speech-language pathologist and I'm evaluating a baby nexy week for feeding issues. I haven't met the baby but this is what I know so far. She is about a year and a half, diagnosed with CF at birth. According to my sources she is adorable, friendly and chubby, thanks to her G tube. A sad part of this story is that she is living in a shelter for babies who had some prenatal drug exposure and has been there for a long long time, the parents are not really involved at all. I don't have CF (so I don't have personal experience) although my boyfriend does and he's helping me out too, but I need some suggestions. She won't eat orally at all and I assume it's because she associates food with pain (the shelter says it's because the hospital force-fed her medicine... I don't know about that). I know she mouths non-food items like her toys so it's not a sensory thing. Those of you who have babies, or those of you who were babies ;-) can you think of ways to make food less threatening and more fun? I"d like to go in with some suggestions for the staff there (the staff seems fantastic). I'll keep you updated when I actually meet her (and let you know if I steal her since she sounds like a cutie!) It worries me that the poor kiddo could go to foster care before she's eating.
sarabeth87
New member
i'm not really sure why she wouldnt eat orally. it could be because she is used to haveing the G tube do it for her. that may sound dumb, but i know i have never had a problem with eating.
sarabeth87
New member
i'm not really sure why she wouldnt eat orally. it could be because she is used to haveing the G tube do it for her. that may sound dumb, but i know i have never had a problem with eating.
Since you said she mouths her toys...what about dip one of her plastic toys in babyfood and let her suck it off? Maybe once she gets the taste/feel of food in her mouth she'll be more receptive. That's the only thing that popped into my head. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Since you said she mouths her toys...what about dip one of her plastic toys in babyfood and let her suck it off? Maybe once she gets the taste/feel of food in her mouth she'll be more receptive. That's the only thing that popped into my head. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
that's a good idea! thanks<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I know my boyfriend was not a big eater when he was a kid because it al;ways upset his stomach one way or another. ALthough since he's figured out his enzymes there's no stopping him now!!
that's a good idea! thanks<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I know my boyfriend was not a big eater when he was a kid because it al;ways upset his stomach one way or another. ALthough since he's figured out his enzymes there's no stopping him now!!
debs2girls
New member
I am not sure what they are called but it is for soft foods...you put the food in a net like thing that is atached to a pacifier looking handle...the baby suck/chews on the net part with the food inside and get the taste with out fear of choking.....I hope this makes more sense to you all than it does to me...lol
Someone help me out with a name for this gizmo.
Someone help me out with a name for this gizmo.
debs2girls
New member
I am not sure what they are called but it is for soft foods...you put the food in a net like thing that is atached to a pacifier looking handle...the baby suck/chews on the net part with the food inside and get the taste with out fear of choking.....I hope this makes more sense to you all than it does to me...lol
Someone help me out with a name for this gizmo.
Someone help me out with a name for this gizmo.
thefrogprincess
New member
Put some honey or something else tasty on a pacifier maybe?
thefrogprincess
New member
Put some honey or something else tasty on a pacifier maybe?
Might she have a full stomach due to the tube feedings and just not be hungry enough? My son w/CF was always hungry as a baby and did not have a feeding tube, but was very slow to start solid foods so we let him keep using a bottle much longer than we really wanted and eventually he got more curious about all the various solid foods we put in front of him - and we put all manner of food in front of him all the time just to give him opportunities to try it.
Might she have a full stomach due to the tube feedings and just not be hungry enough? My son w/CF was always hungry as a baby and did not have a feeding tube, but was very slow to start solid foods so we let him keep using a bottle much longer than we really wanted and eventually he got more curious about all the various solid foods we put in front of him - and we put all manner of food in front of him all the time just to give him opportunities to try it.
A quick search turned up this article on weaning from a tube <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.heartchildren.org.nz/news/issue40.htm">http://www.heartchildren.org.nz/news/issue40.htm</a> .
I notice that it mentions tubes being used with babies with cleft palates. If you have access to doctors/nurses who are familiar with these cases perhaps they can give you some suggestions as well.
ood luck
-lisav
I notice that it mentions tubes being used with babies with cleft palates. If you have access to doctors/nurses who are familiar with these cases perhaps they can give you some suggestions as well.
ood luck
-lisav
A quick search turned up this article on weaning from a tube <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.heartchildren.org.nz/news/issue40.htm">http://www.heartchildren.org.nz/news/issue40.htm</a> .
I notice that it mentions tubes being used with babies with cleft palates. If you have access to doctors/nurses who are familiar with these cases perhaps they can give you some suggestions as well.
ood luck
-lisav
I notice that it mentions tubes being used with babies with cleft palates. If you have access to doctors/nurses who are familiar with these cases perhaps they can give you some suggestions as well.
ood luck
-lisav