Swallow Study

Happiest Baby in the world, does it look like he's having feeding problems!?!?

My Little Sweetie, M2 has to go in for a Swallow Study at the butt crack of dawn tomorrow. I know I still need to tell his story but long story short, he has a Tracheotomy Tube. He's had it since he was 5 weeks old. His ENT Dr wants to make sure he's not aspirating when eating. I don't think he his, he doesn't vomit, gag, or choke while eating. And as I pointed out here, he's gaining weight just fine. He's had a swallow study before and did fine, but I was told that 'Things can change'. So he has to have another one.

Swallow Studies are really no big deal, they are actually pretty neat. For those who don't know it's basically just a live X-Ray. An occupational therapist will strap M2 into this little high chair type seat, put barium in his bottle and feed him. The XRay tech will watch where the barium/formula travels through his body. They want to make sure that none of it goes into his lungs. It's completely painless to M2, and Hubby and I will just sit and watch with the XRay tech.

M2 had his first Swallow Study when he was about 1 week old and had no problems with aspiration. Hopefully that will be the case tomorrow. If he aspirates on normal formula they will thicken the formula and try again. They could try 3 different consistencies, thin (which would just be normal formula), medium and thick. On his first swallow study since he had no problems with the thin they didn't give him the other consistencies and just said he passed the study.

If he is having problems with aspiration, which I don't think he is, there are a couple different things that can happen. It should be as simple as changing what he eats to sitting in a different position while he eats. Worse case scenario would be a G-tube (a feeding tube that goes directly into his stomach). I don't think a G-Tube is in anyway going to happen, let alone be brought up because he is gaining weight and having no vomiting.

If he does good during the study I might take him up to the NICU to visit. He was there for 7 weeks when he was first born and he made lots of friends. One nurse called herself Grandma Becky, I would love to see her. She was his nurse the day he got his trach. I don't think she could have been any sweeter or more patient with me. She had to help me learn to take care of his trach and trach site, which is really no big deal, (but I didn't know that then!!)

Anyway, we'll see what happens. Please think of my little sweetie in the am.