I'm new to the list - an introduction

Mary J. S. Roth (rothm@lafvax.lafayette.edu)
Fri, 08 Mar 1996 09:20:06 -0500 (CDT) 

Hi -

I'm the proud mother of two girls, Emma and Sarah, who were born 14 months
ago and 9 weeks early.  I went into labor at 27 weeks, but the miracle of
ridadrin (mag-sulphate only got me very ill and had no effect on my
contractions) kept me from delivering the girls until week 31.  I had a
chance to get some steroids to help their lung development, but even with
that, Emma required CPAP for almost a month.

The girls were 2 lbs 10 oz. and 3 lbs 1 oz when born, Sarah, the little one,
came home after 5 weeks, Emma, contracted RSV in the NICU, was put into
isolation for a week, had to be tube fed for nearly 7 weeks (and developed a
horrible gag reflex because the tube had to go through her mouth not her
nose - that's where the CPAP was), and had reflux so she could not lie down
and spent all of her time in someones arms or on a reflux wedge.  They
finally sent Emma home after 8 weeks when she no longer was gaining any
weight in the hospital (they hoped it was just the hospital environment that
was upsetting her).  She could hardly drink from a bottle, and for the first
few weeks she was home, her feedings took approximately a minute for each
milliliter (30 millileters to an ounce!).

Both girls came home on apnea monitors and Emma kept hers until she was 10
months old due to the reflux problem.

We were entered into the early intervention program, and we've gone through
developmental checkups and both girls have been discharged with the
exception of Emma's feeding therapy.  (She didn't open her mouth up
willingly for a bottle until she was 9 months old!!)

I'm very happy to find out about this list.  Though both girls are doing
o.k. now, it was a tough first year and we're still dealing with Emma's
feeding difficulties (now aggravated by her not wanting to sit still long
enough to eat - there's too much to do and see in the world!).  I'd like
to communicate with anyone else out there
who has a child with feeding problems/reflux and breath holding seizures.

Thanks for letting me introduce myself...

Mary
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mary Roth, Ph.D., P.E.
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Lafayette College
Easton, PA  18042

Tel: 610-250-5427
Fax: 610-250-5059
E-mail: rothm@lafayette.edu