Learning to chew food.-Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hey Jodi,

With we had a GREAT feeding therapist that got him started. She used

Beckman's oral stimulation exercises (you can find them online, or ask you

feeding therapist. She should know what they are) BEFORE each feeding

session. This helped to lower his oral sensitivity.

It seemed to be very important for Bran to learn to " nibble " first. This at

least got some texture in his mouth. When we were working on moving him from

nibbling (front teeth only) to chewing, the FT used a nubby NUK. First she

dipped it in ice water, and worked with Bran on opening and closing his

molars on it. Then she would dip it in baby food, and have him chew the NUK.

It was at this point we lost FT services, so the rest we've done on our own.

I've taken bits of steamed veggies, and a Stage Two jar of Bran's current

favorite. I would have him show me how he chews on the NUK, then I would

have him chew the NUK with the baby food on it, and then I would stick a

small piece of steamed veggie into the baby food on the NUK, and have him

chew on that. Half the time he would gag when he realized there was a loose

piece of food in his mouth, but gradually that got better.

Another thing we worked on was taking the food he would nibble (like soft

cheese curls, crackers, french fries) and encouraging him to take bigger

bites of these foods. That way he would have to move it further back in his

mouth, and chew it to be able to get it down.

We also took foods like Cheerios, and encouraged him to open wide, place a

Cheerio on his molars, and then crunch down on it. This helped a lot too. At

first he would spit out the small crushed pieces of Cheerios, but before

long he started chewing these until he could swallow. Through all of this

I've always made sure he's had plenty of water to drink, so that he can wash

things down.

Hopefully some of these suggestions will work for you. Bran has gotten more

and more picky lately. I don't know if it's his age, a stage of development,

or just plain being Bran?? But I've learned that I'm not beyond " hiding "

food, so that he can have a more balanced diet. LOL Bran likes potatoes, so

lately I've been cutting roasted potatoes in pieces, and then placing a

small piece of meat or veggie, on his fork behind the potato so he won't see

it. He'll eat it this way, but offer him just the meat, or just veggie, and

he'll refuse to even try it.

Talk to you soon!

Pat (g-ma to , RSS, 4 yrs old, 28# 10.6oz, 35 " , G-Tube, GHT)

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your prompt response, Pat. I can always count on you! ;o)

's feeding therapist does all of what you have described. We

use the Nuk and another chewy type tube to help with his

sensitivity. But, to be fair, I don't do this before he eats. I

will try it. I guess it is just going to be a process for

that will take longer than I want it to. But, hopefully soon he will

get it down. I just worry that in the meantime, he won't be getting

enough to eat to maintain a normal blood sugar for him. I don't know

how much....well, I should say, how little, is okay for him to eat at

a time in order to keep his sugar stabilized. I mean, like I said

before, if it wasn't for the baby food, he wouldn't have eaten much

of the carrots today. I feel better knowing, too, that you are still

doing some baby foods with . I figured to give him bites and

to give him baby food to wash it down would be okay until he can get

better at chewing. I too, try to encourage him to chew with his back

teeth. He will for a couple of chews, and then it is right back in

the front. also spits the food out sometimes. I try to

encourage him to swallow it, but sometimes he just can't....or won't,

which ever it may be.

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I may have more questions as

we get more into this eating thing. But, I'll email you privately

about it. It is amazing the vast difference in the RSS kids. Some

of them can eat and have no problems shewing and then there are

others who struggle to just be able to have actual food in their

mouths without gagging! Gosh, it is so hard! Sigh.

Jodi R.

>

> Hey Jodi,

>

> With we had a GREAT feeding therapist that got him started.

She used

> Beckman's oral stimulation exercises (you can find them online, or

ask you

> feeding therapist. She should know what they are) BEFORE each

feeding

> session. This helped to lower his oral sensitivity.

>

> It seemed to be very important for Bran to learn to " nibble " first.

This at

> least got some texture in his mouth. When we were working on moving

him from

> nibbling (front teeth only) to chewing, the FT used a nubby NUK.

First she

> dipped it in ice water, and worked with Bran on opening and closing

his

> molars on it. Then she would dip it in baby food, and have him chew

the NUK.

> It was at this point we lost FT services, so the rest we've done on

our own.

> I've taken bits of steamed veggies, and a Stage Two jar of Bran's

current

> favorite. I would have him show me how he chews on the NUK, then I

would

> have him chew the NUK with the baby food on it, and then I would

stick a

> small piece of steamed veggie into the baby food on the NUK, and

have him

> chew on that. Half the time he would gag when he realized there was

a loose

> piece of food in his mouth, but gradually that got better.

>

> Another thing we worked on was taking the food he would nibble

(like soft

> cheese curls, crackers, french fries) and encouraging him to take

bigger

> bites of these foods. That way he would have to move it further

back in his

> mouth, and chew it to be able to get it down.

>

> We also took foods like Cheerios, and encouraged him to open wide,

place a

> Cheerio on his molars, and then crunch down on it. This helped a

lot too. At

> first he would spit out the small crushed pieces of Cheerios, but

before

> long he started chewing these until he could swallow. Through all

of this

> I've always made sure he's had plenty of water to drink, so that he

can wash

> things down.

>

> Hopefully some of these suggestions will work for you. Bran has

gotten more

> and more picky lately. I don't know if it's his age, a stage of

development,

> or just plain being Bran?? But I've learned that I'm not

beyond " hiding "

> food, so that he can have a more balanced diet. LOL Bran likes

potatoes, so

> lately I've been cutting roasted potatoes in pieces, and then

placing a

> small piece of meat or veggie, on his fork behind the potato so he

won't see

> it. He'll eat it this way, but offer him just the meat, or just

veggie, and

> he'll refuse to even try it.

>

> Talk to you soon!

> Pat (g-ma to , RSS, 4 yrs old, 28# 10.6oz, 35 " , G-Tube, GHT)

>