Feeding Therapy Evaluation

Road Trip!!  A VERY LONG ONE!

BORED...Is this Evaluation Over Yet!?

Last week Ben, Landon, and I headed down to Evansville, IN for Landon's Feeding Evaluation.  Landon did really well in the car despite the 5 1/2 hour drive down there.  We stopped for potty breaks and to stretch are legs for a bit.  When we arrived we had the pleasure of staying at the Ronald McDonald House on the hospital campus.  What a LOVELY house!!  Landon had a blast!!  They had a swing set out back plus a playroom and a game room!!  He enjoyed the little time we had there very much!!  We headed over to the clinic in the morning to meet the Feeding Team and to discuss the plan of action.  When we were introduced to this Feeding Team I was under the impression that Landon would qualify for Intense In-Patient Feeding therapy that would be anywhere from 4-12 weeks.  After the 2 1/2 evaluation the team had informed us that this process would take over a year of our time and commitment.  We would have to be there at first 4-8 weeks and then come back on all of our school breaks through next summer.  UGH...that is such a HUGE commitment!  Plus they couldn't promise us that we could start this summer.  

They did feel that Landon's diet was not necessarily terrible and what he was eating was hitting his nutritional value.  He is slowly gaining weight but they did not see a major problem.  The team did talk to us about some strategies to start with Landon as soon as we got home and they even gave us their full plan of attack!  

Ben and I talked about our options on the way home and felt that we could really work with him at home (now that we had strategies) and that we start to look for feeding therapy at home now since we have an official diagnosis and write-up.  A HUGE weight was lifted off of all of our shoulders seeing that we would not have to be separated as a family the whole summer.  I immediately came home, went on to the Autism Speaks Resource Guide and found a few feeding therapist in the area.  Made my first phone call Thursday morning and made Landon an appointment for the next day at a new location.  

I scored the jackpot on this new therapy for sure!  They have an amazing sensory gym that Landon fell in love with and was thrilled to work with our new feeding therapist because he earned time in the gym after sitting and eating (his choice foods) for 15 minutes.  We immediately signed on and scheduled his weekly appointments.  I am sure this will take some time but I am optimistic that our new feeding therapist will work great with Landon!!