It's a good start...

Well, today is the day that Eli gets to start exploring foods in therapy. To this point, he has just been drinking his Hemp milk and trying the Elecare. Elecare is a hypoallergenic formula that Eli has been switched to for his tube feeds. He had previously been on Pediasure 1.5, but was allergic to it. Eli has mainly been on Hemp milk and Elecare until this point to "work him into the system". The "system" is he is not forced to take bites or drinks, but has the option to. He is on a timer, so whether or not he wants to eat or drink, he has to stay in the feeding room for the entire time. There are a few other rules that we will learn at a later time.

Anyway, today, he is getting to start with applesauce. New foods will always be introduced in Speech Therapy before being introduced into Feeding therapy. They have had a hard time finding foods for Eli due to his limited diet with allergies. They spent the past day and a half going over ingredients in the feeding room here at Our Children's House. They would think they had found a food he could eat.... then soy, corn syrup, or some other allergen would be an ingredient. They were finally able to find applesauce he was able to eat. The other foods they will be trying in his diet are: peaches, pears, avocado, green beans, chicken, turkey, black beans and pinto beans. They are still working to find a soup he can eat that does not contain allergens.

All of Eli's diet right now will be blenderized. They are buying him his own blender so that there will not be a risk of cross-contamination with the food the other kids eat. I'm very impressed with the care they are taking to make sure Eli is getting healthy, safe foods. They have also noticed that Eli has very weak jaw muscles. That is another reason why his diet will be purely blenderized for now. They are hoping his jaw muscles will strengthen, but also feel that it could be a very long time (if ever) before Eli starts to chew foods, considering he has really never chewed food.

But, we are at a GREAT starting point! I am so thankful that we are finally at Our Children's House where Eli is getting the treatment and therapy he needs! I have high hopes for the next 3 1/2 weeks!!!