Therapy 101

Wearing the Elbow Immobilizer...

I haven't written an update on how either form of therapy is going, and I figured I should before I forget any of the information!  Brady has begun 2 different types of therapy.  Occupational Therapy, focusing on feeding, and Physical Therapy, focusing on left side mobility.  Physical Therapy is once weekly, and Occupational Therapy is every other week.  We got linked with these therapists through Chesterfield Early Intervention.  This is a program that is free to eligible people in our county.  The HUGE upside to this versus private therapy (besides the bill) is that the therapists work with your child in your home.  It really makes the whole situation tolerable and much easier.  They can show me what to do with things I already have around my house, and I can continue working with him on things they have as well! 
Occupational Therapy was first.  Debra is our therapist, and she came to the house on Election Day!  She came at 330, and Brady is usually eating a bottle, but I fed him solids so that the session wasn't a wash!  She watched and gave me pointers on how to increase the use of his tongue and lips while he eats.  Strengthening his muscles in his mouth is important and should help him learn to swallow his food better.  Swallowing anything but a smooth puree to this point has been a challenge for him.  Children who have the brain condition, Lissencephaly, as Brady does, often struggle to swallow food.  She brought a NUK brush, which is basically a round and rubber toothbrush.  We have been working with it each night.  The hope is that when he puts it into his mouth, he will move his tongue toward it.  We have also increased the "lump" in his food.  It is no longer completely smooth.  We don't blend it as long, but still use the same water amount.  This way the food is thicker without being sticky!  Our next step will be to begin adding crumbled graham crackers and things to food to try and increase lump!
Physical Therapy began November 9th.  We have had 2 sessions and things have been hard!  Our first session was basically just feeling everything out.  Checking to see what exactly Brady does in an hour, and how he does it.  The second session was when the work began!  There has been talk of casting Brady's good arm, his right arm, so that he learns to use his other arm more.  However, he isn't an unsupported sitter just yet, so this isn't possible.  So we did the next best thing, which I actually think is better!  The therapist brought an Elbow Immobilizer.  It's a simple brace type wrap that prevents him from bending his right arm.  He cant bring things to his mouth, reach for things close to his face, or bear any weight on it.  He wore it for 10 minutes before he finally had enough.  I was so proud of him for going that long, and so was the therapist!  After that it was all downhill!  He had used his left arm so much (and never really uses it at all) that you could physically see his exhaustion.  Tummy time was a bit of a wash, and he finally melted down enough that I put him in the crib!  He slept for 2 hours!
Cutting teeth is killing us right now.  Brady has 4, that's right... 4, teeth coming in at the same time on the top.  You can tell he is in pain.  He has run a constant low grade fever for 4 days now.  Thank God for Tylenol & IBprofen!  He is up for 2 or 3 hours in the night, and unfortunately, so are we!  This added to the challenge of therapy this past week.  I am hoping that the teeth all break the gums completely before tomorrow night.  BIG DREAMS!  Because of Thanksgiving, we have Physical Therapy again this Monday afternoon, and Occupational Therapy on Tuesday.  Hoping both go well, and that I have my happy and sweet baby boy back by then!

 - Jessica