Food Therapy

Tuesday we sat with his food therapist and G ate rice.  He had about six bites.  She is ready to release us.  So I said, let's go through the end of the month, let me try to get a sitter for D so I can watch, and then I'm in agreement.

Because I can do what she's doing at home.  And have.  And I do not understand why it's working now, when in months / years past the same conversation would result in tears, gagging and vomitting.  Both of us would end of crying and we'd still end up eating peanut butter.

I believe the key - which this is simplistic and easy - is the touch it, kiss it, lick it approach.  There is a step in there I wasn't doing (kiss it).  And it seems to really make a difference.  Because believe me I did the okay lets just touch it.  See?  Not scary.  Okay lets lick it.  See?  Not scary! (gag gag gag gag).

The other key is that he favors his left side.  And she says that he chews slowly, leaving food to sit in his mouth a long time (knew this).  But she gets him to chew by counting, and he chews on each count.  And ten times on one side, ten times on the other.  The food gets moved quickly, and doesn't become unappetizing just sitting in his mouth.

We did all of this last night with sandwich turkey, on a whim, because brother was eating it.  And he ate three bites.  That's two new foods in a week.  Actually three if you count the rice.  We haven't had that kind of progress … ever.

So did therapy work?  Yes but it really and truly wasn't revolutionary and she will tell you that.  She even said she thinks it was a power struggle between child and parent, and that he was afraid.  And that she (therapist) was able to give him some confidence.  Because he's an agreeable child.  he has no problem doing what he's told most of the time.  So this food thing was a crisis of confidence and he appears to be over it.

It's pretty exciting.  But it requires a lot of work from me.  And I can't do it every single meal time.  I have two children.  I have to be fair to D.