Re: welcome

Gary & Tammy Bangs (gbangs@earthlink.net)
Thu, 21 Mar 1996 16:22:41 -0800


Lynda Seehusen wrote:
>  Do you mean that Taylor won't eat anything that isn't blended?   Like not
> Cheerios or potato chips or anything like that?  


Taylor will not put ANYTHING in his mouth, not food, not toys, not fingers, 
nothing. The only exception is cheetoes, he will put a cheetoe in his mouth, 
suck the cheesy stuff off, and then spit out the soggy cheetoe,(usually he 
tries to put it back in the bag).
I have to pin him down and practically put him in a head lock to brush his 
teeth, and then I can only do a few strokes at a time.
The therapists have tried several different things for this, but so far we 
have not had much success.  We have tried slowly adding texture to his foods, 
with crackers. He usually tolerates chunks about the size of a half of a 
piece of rice, anything bigger and he gags.  Therapists have said to bring 
him into therapy sessions hungry, his record is 14 hours without food, and he 
still would not eat.

We have been trying to desensatize his mouth with brushes, wash clothes etc. 
 but he refuses to let anything in his mouth.  When he was in the NICU, he 
would pull his vent and feeding tubes several times a day.  They were 
constantly having to reintubate him.

It is pretty strange to keep trying to get Travis (17 mo old) to NOT put 
things in his mouth while at the same time trying to get Taylor TO put things 
in his mouth.

Tammy, mom to Taylor and angel Alex, and to Travis, and wife to "home for 
now' Gary