OT

First off, some housekeeping.  My Mom says that I have been hanging out with too many doctors and nurses lately and my blogging is reflecting that.  She will be reading along and then, WHAT?  What do those letters mean?  So, if I slip into medical-ese, please post it in comments and I will try to clarify.  :)

On to OT.  The doctors have ordered that the OT (Occupational Therapist) come round and look at Miss Bella.  It’s really quite pointless.  She sucks beautifully – her system just can’t tolerate breathing, circulating blood, and digesting if we add suck/swallow/breathe to the mix.  That’s why she has the NG tube and continuous feeds.  But she comes round and we talk.  She is delightful.  Becca had questions on nursing versus OT vs COTA vs special ed teacher when she grows up.  So the OT and I talked all about it.  I got the skinny on the advantages and disadvantages to nursing vs OT vs COTA.  Hospital vs non-hospital.  Pediatrics vs non-pediatrics.  Good stuff.  Remind me to actually tell YOU, Becca!

Today I showed the OT our serious head lag (a head lag is when you pull the baby arms forward and the head falls backwards  - not enough strength in the neck).  I know there’s not much we can do right now.  Tummy time is not an option.  Nor will it be for at least six weeks following surgery (think about the broken sternum – we don’t want her damaging that!).  So, she’ll be pretty delayed in that area.

After she left I thought back to what Joy and Miss Carolyn (our OT at home) worked on when she first came home – besides tummy time (which she HATED by the way).  We worked on tracking an object and then getting her to reach for objects.  I used the fun toy that Emily brought us and she tracks wonderfully!!!  I think I knew that because she is such a social little butterfly.  She always looks people right in the eye when they come and examine her – she may not like what they are doing, but she always looks.  We worked on reaching some today.  I would hold the toy right by her hand so any motion would trigger a response.  Very fun! See how intense she is?  :)