The Ardern Family

Well, it's been a few days and just thought I'd update everyone on the fantastic news for Charlotte! Starting last June she has been going to feeding therapy. At that point in time she didn't chew her food, it was hard for her and didn't have the muscle tone, etc. to actually do it. She took most of her liquids via G-tube. But we had started seeing the feeding therapist, Helene, at a Primary children's satellite clinic in Taylorsville. She is part of the Dysphagia team at the Primary Children's hospital that have helped Charlotte since she was born. Anywho, at first we saw her once a month. Then she said I don't need to see Charlotte for 2 months. And by the time December came, she said I don't need to see Charlotte for 3-4 months. This is because Charlotte was progressing in her eating and we didn't need to see Helene so frequently. We just saw her on Tuesday March 11th and she said to us that she is so amazed at how well Charlotte eats that she's graduating her from feeding therapy! So that means Charlotte doesn't need feeding therapy anymore. She says that Charlotte has more variety of foods that she can eat than an average child her age! Our goal is to get her off the tube, so we are pushing the drinking (not too hard of course!) and in the last two days, we've only need to pump her twice and she didn't need that much pumped into her. I'd say that now, almost 9 months later that she is using the tube about 25-30% of the time. So the light at the end of the tunnel is coming and I am so proud of her. She said that she could see Charlotte getting off the g-tube within THE YEAR! Of course this depends on Dr. O'Gorman with the Dysphagia clinic but just knowing that it could end sooner than we thought is amazing. Charlotte is doing so well and we're so proud of her. Good on you Charlotte! We love you!