Food therapy | Imamother

sporty

Wed, Dec 08 2010, 5:30 pm

Does anyone here have a child who had food therapy? Can you tell me a bit about the process to get qualified for it and how long it took to help?

My ds is 10.5 months old and has a very sensitive gag reflex. He is fine eating pureed foods but as soon as I offer him something with texture, such as a mashed potato, he gags. And then often will throw up. He also throws up when he cries hard. He's thrown up 3 days in a row now. I am covered in his throw up every day.

I made a call to see if he might need food therapy though I do not know what it is. Someone told me he will not qualify if everything else seems fine and it's just food he has issues with. He really wants to eat though - he just cant not gag. My dr. said the food issue is a sensory issue - a sensitivity to textures. I do not know if he has other sensory issues. I don't know what to look for. I guess that is what the evaluation will tell me.
But I wish I knew how to help him learn to eat - I wish I knew what to do to get started because I see the process takes a while....

Thanks.

runninglate

Wed, Dec 08 2010, 5:39 pm

definitely call yeledvyalda to have him evaluated 718 686 3700 or another early intervention agency. it cant hurt, though sure what it takes to qualify, maybe he can get ot if he has sensory issue. good luck.

bnm

Wed, Dec 08 2010, 6:06 pm

I'm going through this with my daughter right now.

1-its called feeding therapy

2- if there are no other delays in any other areas besides this and sensory issues you won't get approved by EI, I tried twice already. they will say its a medical issue, not developmental and say insurance should take care of it. also the criteria for therapy is a bit less strict once the kid is 1, if you want to schedule an eval wait for his first birthday.

3-if your dr gives you a referral you can go to a center that accepts your insurance and they will provide services, it depends on your insurance but with mine I think we get 15 sessions before they reevaluate to see if the child needs more.

you can pm me for more info.

bnm

Wed, Dec 08 2010, 6:09 pm

RR6178 wrote:

they don't give therapy for sensory issues for kids under 3 if thats their only problem. they have to have significant delays in other areas first to get OT too.

sporty

Thu, Dec 09 2010, 10:43 am

Thanks bnm-
I already started the process so I guess I will see it through. Someone who does evals told me that even if my ds doesnt qualify, I may still get useful tips from the person doing the evaluation for us.
My pediatrician does not say my ds needs to see a gastro doc. I would take him in a second if it was recommended to me - my dr. feels his throwing up when crying is emotional distress and combines with a sensitive gag is causing him to throw up when crying hard. My dr. said to give it till he's a little older, another 8 months or so, and he should be able to control his emotions better and not throw up when crying then.

I guess I will see what happens once we get him evaluated. What is an evaluation like? Do they just observe him from far?