Feeding Update

It's been awhile since I have given an update on Caden's feeding therapy so I think now is a good time to do that! This process has been much slower than I had hoped. But in the last month, he has taken huge leaps and strides to move things along. I am now starting to see a faint light at the end of the tunnel when I used to only see darkness.

As of Friday, April 29, Caden is officially taking in more calories by mouth than through the g-tube! I wondered if we would ever reach this milestone. To give you an idea of what his schedule is like, here it is:

Breakfast – 4.5 oz oral puree + 2 oz liquid; 2 oz tube
Lunch – 4.5 oz oral puree + 2 oz liquid; 2 oz tube
Afternoon – 4.5 oz oral puree + 2 oz liquid; 4 oz tube
Dinner – 4.5 oz oral puree + 2 oz liquid; 2 oz tube
Night (after he's in bed) – 4 oz tube

TOTAL: 18 oz oral puree (not counting liquids), 14 oz tube!

This is so incredible, I can hardly even believe it! We have a few more sessions with our feeding therapist in the next month and we are hoping to advance him more. Currently everything he eats has to be pureed. He doesn't handle texture well as he starts gagging and retching. But we are taking baby steps forward. For example, we used to have to puree applesauce to get rid of its texture. But Caden has progressed enough that we don't have to puree the applesauce anymore (woo hoo!). And, with yogurt, we don't avoid the small pieces of fruit in them anymore. He eats those and we are trying to increase texture in other small ways as well.

In addition, Caden drinks 2 oz of liquid at every feeding. This is a difficult thing for him to manage but he improves every day. He drinks from a small medicine cup and learns how to coordinate opening and closing his mouth and when to swallow, etc. Things that come naturally for most kids.

It is so great to see this progress. We are hopeful that in the next few months he will no longer need the tube feedings at all. But even when we stop using the tube, the doctors will probably want us to leave it in place for a few more months to make sure he continues to grow and gain weight without it before they remove it. And, even when the g-tube is gone, Caden still has a LONG way to go before he is “age-appropriate” with what he eats. If you look at a typical 2-year-old, they are not just eating purees. He will still have to learn to tolerate texture and then work up to being able to chew foods, etc. So, the journey is far from over. But we are thrilled with how far he has come. Way to go Caden, we are proud of you!