It’s my day at the feeding clinic. (We call it Eating School.) It’s about 2 and I’ve already watched them feed Ira three different times. One more to go this afternoon. Here’s how the feeding sessions go down:
The session begins with Ira choosing a toy and a book. The feeding therapist then straps Ira in a high chair. The strapping mechanism is like a car seat and they treat it as such in that Ira is so secure that he can hardly move. Then the feeding begins.
Ira opens his mouth just fine and allows the therapist to enter his mouth with a spoon. The problem is the tongue. Ira retracts his tongue in an effort to defend his airway. And when he doesn’t retract it, the tongue is hardened. Neither retraction nor hardening of the tongue is good. And so for now Ira’s tongue is the main focus in these sessions. They aren’t worried about the mouth closing or swallowing at this juncture. In fact, there is very little substance on the spoon at all.
With one hand the therapist holds Ira’s chin and says, “flat tongue.” She waits for Ira’s tongue to go flat and then lays the spoon on top of the tongue. She does this thirty times. In between each “bite” Ira is allowed to play with a toy or look at a book. But just for a second. And then the therapist says, “my turn.”
The therapist gives high-fives and shouts “good job” after every bite. Ira’s loves it. And for the most part, he does really well. After the second feeding today, the therapist told me that his tongue is softening. And only after two days!
I witness all this standing in a hall while looking through a one way window. There are two other rooms where therapists are working with kids. Those parents are standing at their windows as well. The two doctors of the clinic go from window to window explaining what the feeding therapists are attempting to accomplish. I’m very impressed with the program.
What I’m not so impressed with is Paterson, NJ. Ugh. It is Paterson and other cities in NJ like it (think Trenton) that earn NJ the moniker The Armpit of the US. But within this black-eye of a city lies the feeding clinic that is successfully teaching children of all types what most of us take for granted. And for that, Paterson and the clinic will always have a place in my heart.
Welcome to the blog of Joe Hays, minister for Christ's Church for Brooklyn. We are a loving community of believers who seek to be the hands and feet of Christ, in service to our neighbors in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn and beyond.
Before I get hate mail from my New Jersey friends I must say that I lived in beautiful New Jersey for three years. My personal opinion is that it more than earns its official moniker The Garden State. It is quite beautiful. The problem are the towns and cities like Paterson, Trenton and Newark. They seem to overwhelm hence the Underarm slam.
Great update. Hooray for that softening tongue! 2 good days…we’re so thankful!
Much love.
Great news that Ira is responding so well. Who would have ever thought that we need people like those therapist so desperately to help our kids. I am glad you found a place like that.
Way to go Ira- you are a rockstar! That feeding clinic sounds amazing.
Its great to hear about Ira’s progress, and amazing that the clinic has such a thorough technique.
As native Garden Stater, I have to agree about Patterson, but maybe next time you’re driving through you can enjoy it a little more by listening to Bob Dylan’s “The Hurricane”, which of course takes place in Patterson.
And if you for some reason end up in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Patterson, be sure to ask for my college best friend Tony, aka Dr. Anthony Scillia. Sure he’s only a first year orthepedic surgeon, but I’m sure he could tell you the fastest route to the cafeteria.