I tried not to let myself get too bogged down by Finn's eval this morning. He's still Finn, the eval doesn't change that. It's only a small snapshot of him anyway - it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. He doesn't care, that's for sure. Evaluation? Pffft. He's not bummed out by it, so why should I be?
So, I've been meaning to write about the troubles we've been having with feeding lately. It's just become kind of this ordeal. He's become pretty resistant to eating food lately, and I became a little bit concerned when I weighed him a couple days ago and realized that he hasn't gained any weight in the last month. I know he's more mobile now - crawling like mad all over the house - so he's burning more calories. I remember from my other babies that the weight gain slows down when they become mobile. But still. Ever since his struggle to gain weight as an infant, the worry has never completely left me. So his recent resistance to being fed has started to concern me because it seems to me that I need to find a way to get more calories into him. As soon as I get him into the highchair and strap on the bib, he starts fussing, though. He'll let me feed him a few spoonfuls usually and then clamp his lips shut and flail his arms around, sometimes literally slapping the spoon and/or bowl out of my hands, like he's trying to say, "Cut it out! I don't want it!"
Sigh.
Who knows what's going on. He's been working on new teeth forever it seems like, and that's been giving him quite a bit of trouble, so it could be that simple.
So I've been a little discouraged about that.
But today at dinner, he not only ate an entire bowlful of baby food, he also demonstrated a pincer grasp and picked up some puffs from his tray and tried to put them in his mouth. That was a first. It's funny - he'll put toys in his mouth, but not food. Until tonight, he tried at least. That's progress. It's also funny - or sad, maybe - that this morning during his evaluation, Eun asked if he uses a pincer grasp to pick things up, and I had to honestly answer "No." And then he goes and does it tonight! Sheesh.
Also, yesterday he took bites from a graham cracker I offered him. Took bites, chewed and swallowed. With minimal gagging. That was also a first.
Progress. Heck, by the time Eun finishes writing up her report, he'll probably have accomplished a thing or two that he wasn't yet doing at the time of his evaluation.
So tomorrow for his IFSP meeting, I don't think I'll be asking for any additional services. Not now. I'm almost inclined (and will undoubtedly lose sleep tonight trying to decide for sure) to request that OT be reduced from once a week to twice a month, because honestly, so far I'm not seeing a great benefit to weekly OT. I think once school starts for the bigger kids in a couple weeks, I need to spend more time working with Finn to achieve some goals. That's a goal for me.
6 comments:
You're right... it's all about progress. So funny you mention that pincer grasp - Sheridan is working on it, too. He likes to try to pick things up on his highchair tray (he has a very focused, working-hard look on his face where he sticks his tongue out just a tiny bit like he's really concentrating on using his pincer grasp). Every once in a while he manages to get a cereal O in his mouth by accident :) Keep up the good work, Lisa. Finn is doing great!
That's huge progress. He will also have heaps of skills which others won't have which the OT won't have measured, because he has siblings, which is huge. Keep up the good work, and let him lead you, one step at a time. Luke eats really well at the little plastic table with the other kids. I have a suction bowl and he really goes for it. Ben and Emily have to defend their plates now! The teeth will be a huge factor- just been through the same thing with the spoon, and now he has 2 molars, his 5th and 6th teeth :)
I think the backing off OT idea is a good one. Finn is doing GREAT, btw. But I totally understand the food frustration.
I think the backing off OT idea is a good one. Finn is doing GREAT, btw. But I totally understand the food frustration.
Mattie always does that when the OT comes for the Eval. She'll give her some goals to work on and sure enough the moment she leaves she starts doing some of them.
It sounds like he is already making progress with his eating. Hope all continues to go well!
I can totally relate to the food frustration. That is our biggest challenge to-date. Sigh. Some days are better than others but most days....sigh! The image of Finn slapping the food bowl out of your hand reminds me of Matthew when he was Finn's age. Matthew is almost 2 and he's gotten better about not flinging everything to the floor, which is a change I welcome so much.
As for the pincer grasp, it was the same with Matthew. I told his therapist he wasn't doing it yet and that evening, he made a liar out of me. haha! It was like that with other things too. It was as if he understood what I was telling the therapist earlier and then saying "oh you mean this?" later that day. too funny!
Teething also put a damper on feeding as well as feeling under the weather - at least in Matthew's case. Please don't think I'm suggesting the Finn may not be feeling well other than teething pains.
You're absolutely right on evaluations. They are just a snapshot. It gives the therapist an idea of how to help Finn progress, but is certainly not the overall picture. Do your therapists work together, coordinate their therapy approach? All of Matthew's therapists do and it is great. They talk to each other about Matthew's progress in each of their respective areas, compare notes, and interestingly enough, they find some issues are interrelated so they are able to give me very helpful suggestions.
Keep up the good work with Finn! And the good work with his siblings too. :-)
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I hope you like the book "I Just Am" too.
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