Swallow Study

Bella’s Swallow Study went great!  She took pudding consistency beautifully – I was the one feeding her, so I couldn’t see, but I could hear behind me – oh, wow, look at that!  Yeah for Bella!  After that success the Speech Language Pathologist decided to go for thin liquids – and she did it beautifully!  Oh my!  Since I didn't get to see any of it, I had her re-wind the tape and show it all to me right then.  We’ll expect a written report in about 2 weeks.  The oral results are fantastic!  She has been approved for Stage 1 and Stage 2 baby food.  Wow!  I would never have dreamed!  Joy’s study is much worse than Bella’s.  Goes to show that no two kids are ever alike. 

This was her second swallow study – the other was right before the trach/fundo/gtube.  It too showed no aspirating during feeding.  I have to talk to her GI doc, but that seems to suggest that her aspirating isn’t happening going down, it’s the reflux that’s the problem.  Regardless, she will be upright for an hour after eating.  Period.

When OT came two days later, we started.  She is now the proud owner of many different feeding spoons with various textures.  The important thing is – she did it!  She took food from the spoon.  We played in it.  We experimented with it.  She swallowed it!  Her OT said the last 18 months of intense oral stimulus and giving a billion tastes every day paid off right at that moment.  Her OT and I were near tears!  Way to go Bella!!