open_the_door

My son has CP spastic diplegia. As an infant, he had really bad reflux. Especially if he drank too fast. I always thought that he was so hungry, and he would suck the bottle so fast which would make him have reflux really bad(he is a twin, and his twin didn't do that). Anyways, as he got older(18 months), it was very difficult for him to chew cereal pieces, veggies, or meats. I always pureed everything because it was just easier to feed both boys(they got used to it, and it made their mouths lazy). It caused them both to be very delayed in speech and chewing. Peter had the swallowing problem when it came time for him to sit in his rifton chair(I always fed him in a swing and they are a bit tilted). When he had to sit straight up, he had a harder time controlling his head and with chewing and swallowing. He got diagnosed at 2 years of age with CP. The speech therapist has given me exercises for his mouth and tongue to strengthen it. He is now 3 years and 3 months old. When he is tired, he has a hard time chewing meats. I still give him a bottle in the morning for his prune juice(for constipation), and in the afternoon for his coco, and again the in the evening for more prune juice. I give him a cup with straw throughout the day. I need to stop with the bottle, but that is how I push the important liquid. It has been a long road, and I've been doing it myself because hubby is deployed again. He deployed when the boys were 5 months old(2 months corrected age) they took a bottle every 3 hours, and I did it myself. He was gone for 16 months, and then we got together for 5 months, and he redeployed for 15 months. 2005 was a blur, but myself and all 4 kids got through it. I got alot of good info. on the internet, bought alot of books from amazon, and I have survived. Only 7 more weeks before hubby comes home for good.

I hope my info. helped. Take care....