GI & Other Updates

Truman's appointment with the GI specialist will be September 15. That was the soonest we could get under non-emergent circumstances. He will have a swallow study before that appointment, which is in the process of being scheduled. Depending on the results of the swallow study, I assume the GI appointment could move closer.

In good news, we have a lot less vomit since we took away table food we cut his diet back to only milk, fruit and veggie purees, and dissolvable crunchy things like Cheeto puffs, veggie sticks, and Gerber crunchies. However, in the meantime, we do seem to be making some strides with the behaviorial vomits now that we've taken texture-based vomits out of the equation. Still, it's caused a major stall in developmental progress with regard to eating. I worry that it will greatly impact--or prevent--the start of Parent's Day Out this fall if he can't eat with his peers.

Truman is still just making leaps and bounds in other areas. He seems to understand more and more words every day, can point to several body parts now, can follow simple directions, and (hallelujah) has learned to tell us when he wants to eat or stop eating. He is signing more and more words and is using more objects correctly like putting a phone to his ear or trying to put on his shoes. He has always been a problem solver, but he is starting to seem very mechanically-minded. He is good at figuring out buttons and knobs and moving things to get at things that his parents are attempting to hide or place out of reach. He has a really great memory, too, for where things are, his books, which cabinets have broken baby proofing devices. He has learned to go up and down his slide on his own.

He is digressing in the going to bed department. Sometimes, we are still struggling with him at 11 p.m. Before you all start posting comments about sleep training, remember he has the vomit "trump card." We can't just put him down and let him cry because even moderate crying causes vomit, which means we have to start all over the last meal, bath, etc. We are trying to make adjustments to his napping schedule to see if we make going to bed easier in the evenings.

Truman has turned into a rock star in the swimming department. He is now swimming between two people underwater--not far, but from point A to a specific target, which is a big deal as far as safety. He is swimming without being guided, which means he comes up on his own from underwater. He has also learned to hang on the pool side for a few seconds and where the steps are that enable him to get in and out of our pool at home all by himself. He even signs "more" at swim lessons to take another turn at the slide that dumps him underwater.

The occupational therapist is concerned with Truman's strong left-handed preference. She believes hand preference shouldn't be so strong at this point, so little "CP" hints are being dropped again. Even if that turns out to be true, it looks like he will be able to compensate with his left side just fine. In the meantime, they are focusing on strengthening him on the right for now.