Do you see that? It seems Sean likes to play fetch with himself. LOL
Sean's speech\feeding therapist gave us some helpful hints to get Meredith to eat. She told us that it seems (from what we've told her & what she's seen over the last year) that Meredith is afraid to eat. It's very similar to post traumatic stress, in my opinion. Rosie said it only takes one time for a kid to have pain while eating to make that association & swear off the offending food.
Now that Meredith has relatively well controlled reflux (it only took how long?!) it has come time to help her realize that food is good!!!! We've been telling her how she needs food to grow up big & strong.
Rosie told us that one technique is to offer up rewards & consequences for eating & not eating. So we've started to implement that. If she doesn't eat she loses something she really wants or likes. She can have things she wants after she eats. For instance, if she's wearing a princess costume & refuses to eat, she has to take her costume off. By the same token, when she tries a new food or eats, she gets something she wants. Whether that be to watch a fave tv show, wear a costume, get stickers, get to paint, etc.
It seems to be working. At least a little bit. The other day she pointed at a fried ravioli & asked to eat it. And then..... SHE ATE IT!!!
Tonight I told her that she had to have chicken and if she still didn't like it after trying it, she could have something else. SHE ATE IT!!!! Even Sean got in on the act & had a few peas. When Meredith saw Sean eating peas, she decided on her own to try those too. She took a couple of bites, but..... Well... you'll see.
"Peas are sweet like candy"
Sean looks like Calvin does moving to get toys and such. That is so interesting about the reflux. That is what the therapist was concerned about with Calvin spitting up so much. It is extremely controlled with diet - if you are at all interested, just let me know. I have been working hard for the past 2-3 months and we can have it down so he does not spit up at all - mainly dairy - casein and whey and some other things.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Sure send it my way. Once we're passed the "food is the enemy stage", I'm definitely going to work on weaning her off & controlling it more naturally if at all possible. But I need her to know that not all food is bad for her before I go cutting the few things she does eat out.
ReplyDeleteLove them! Sean's smile is SO infectious. Love him. When he smiled while eating the peas, I couldn't help but get a huyge smile on my face too. Can't wait to hang out with you guys again! And woo hoo for Meredith eating!! Yay!
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