Mommies Magazine

Doing Some Research

Posted on 30. Jun, 2006 by Stacy in Your Home

Our feeding therapist suggested we look into The Center for Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. I have been looking into it online and here’s what I found.

St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital offers a unique, methodical, and multidisciplinary approach to the assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. It is designed to focus on the medical, motor, and learned patterns that often accompany this dysfunction.

Tier One – Outpatient 
Initially, all children are scheduled for an evaluation as an outpatient. A list of factors that are interfering with feeding success or progress are identified, and a stepwise management plan is devised. This may include interventions here at the Center with training of the family and community therapists to continue the child’s program in their natural environment. Patient follow-up and parent/therapist training are essential elements for the outpatient tier. Treatment frequency is assessed based on need. Children who require more intensive interventions will be referred to the Day Treatment or Inpatient component of this three-tiered program.

Tier Two – Day Treatment
Day Treatment is recommended specifically when a child is not making progress on an outpatient basis, or for the child who is ready to make significant rapid changes such as learning swallowing compensations to make swallowing safe for more oral intake, or advancing from tube feedings to oral intake. Children who live at least two hours away from the Center can send in medical records and a videotape of a feeding session to be considered for admission directly into the Day Treatment Program. Admission goals in these cases may be to complete a full evaluation and initiate a treatment program that will then be carried out primarily at home with consultative assistance from the Center’s team. Children coming from Outpatient treatment will also have specific goals determined by the team and family. Each treatment plan in individually established and modified daily using treatment session data and applied behavioral analysis. Our focus is to establish positive learning experiences on a foundation of good nutrition and optimized function of the body systems that support feeding. Family involvement in this program is crucial and begins initially through observation and education. As the child and family progress, supported interactions at meal times are gradually reestablished. Once the child parents are able to consistently and independently carry out the treatment program throughout the entire day, discharge is planned. The Day Treatment setting is similar to a specialized day care. A nurse supervises the play area and provides tube feedings, medications, and daily care as per the doctors’ orders. Therapy staff implement multiple motor and feeding sessions according to the child’s plan. The environment is safe, clean, and designed for children. Daily schedules include time for naps, play, and lots of interaction. Day Treatment occurs from 8:30am to 4pm, five days a week. Treatment goals are established for the weekends at home.

 

I’m not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I would like for this to be over. I need my child to eat and I need her to eat now. It’s been more than a year.

On the other hand, am I making things worse by putting her through all this? Will she REALLY learn to do it on her own in time? I think I am going to look into in further and see exactly how they plan to get my daughter to chew her food and not freak out if I offer her a cookie.

If anyone out there knows anything about the feeding therapy at St. Joseph’s, please e-mail me at stacymae76@hotmail.com