Feeding Clinic

Paperwork….
…..is endless when you have a child with medical issues. I’ve spent the last few weeks completing the 23 page intake forms for the Marcus Institute Pediatric Feeding Disorders Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia. I’ve also called our whole team of various doctors and specialists to request medical records for the feeding clinic…which entails filling out several medical release forms and faxing forms back and forth. The good news is that the clinic has already called to verify the referral and go over a few more questions. I am now just waiting to hear back from the clinic. They should call with an evaluation/interview date soon.

So – what is a feeding clinic and is this really the best road to travel for Stanton?

the great debate....to try or not to try

The Marcus Institute is one of only a handful of pediatric feeding disorders programs in the country. I like the Marcus Institute as it is the closest program to us, it incorporates a true interdisciplinary approach and, since we lived in Atlanta for over ten years, I have a support system there and know the area. The Marcus Institute’s website states they have an 84% success rate in increasing a child’s willingness to accept and swallow bites quickly. They also promote that upon completion of the program, bottle feedings are reduced to only 47% of a child’s daily calories. Good results, right?

Some days, I really think we’re dealing with a feeding disorder and am so eager to get started with the feeding clinic. Most other days, I’m not so confident. Stanton does have his moments of curiosity with food……but those moments continue to consistently end in disaster. Just this past week we went to the mall and ended up at Piccadilly. I got a veggie plate and once seated, Stanton said “yummy, yummy corn, eat.” So I made him a small plate including about 10 corn kernels and a spoon full of carrot soufflé. He ate most of the corn and all of the soufflé and asked for more, so I excitedly gave him another spoon full of both. For Stanton, an entire teaspoon full of anything is what I now define as “a really great eating day.” We spent the entire rest of the weekend dealing with chronic diarrhea, battling a yeast infection diaper rash and creating a whole Pixar short film of our own just to encourage him to drink something.

Then again yesterday, Stanton seemed to enjoy licking the chocolate icing off of a donut and tasted a morsel or two of John’s chocolate birthday cake. By 8:45 pm he was up screaming. By 9:00 pm I was completely covered in a bucketful of vomit. All I know to do in a moment all too familiar for us, is to strip off all the clothing covered in the aftermath and hold Stanton close. I hum and rock and comfort him until he eventually falls asleep. Last night, John took over the rocking and comforting so I could take a shower.

Thank you my love! John and I truly are a team as we attempt to maintain some sense of sanity in the midst of such sudden chaos.

So for today, I am again rethinking the pursuit of a feeding clinic.