April Update on Mason

As I mentioned several weeks ago I sat in on a therapy session with Mason.  Ellen, his occupational therapist (OT) takes him through a set routine.  First they complete  heavy sensory input therapy for 20 minutes or so.  This includes swinging, playing in sand, covering himself in a ball pit, etc.  This desensitizes him so that they can work with food.

They then go into a room and setup the 2nd part of the therapy.  Mason sits at a small table with a placemat, which has 8 squares in two rows.  He helps Ellen open all the packaging and then they begin challenging his texture issues.  The day I sat in it went something like this

Challenge 1

1.  Break Ritz crackers (4 for Ellen and 4 for Mason) and put them in the squares

2.  Break the string cheese into chunks or strings(Which he doesn't like) and put it on top of the crackers

3.  Taking turns with Ellen, they pick up the crackers/cheese, put them into teeth and spit them into cup

Challenge 2

 
1.  Break Ritz crackers (4 for Ellen and 4 for Mason) and put them in the squares

2.  Break up brie cheese (which is sticky), again challenging his SPD,  he is getting less comfortable, but continues

3.  Again taking turns with Ellen they work on putting the cheese and crackers into cups sometimes with teeth, but he getting more picky.  Finally he complies if he can use a napkin to pick up the cheese. 

Challenge 3

1.  Put colored bears into the 8 squares

2.  Add cream cheese to each square. 

3.  Use bears to put cream cheese into matching colored cups.  The use of the colored bears distracts him from the cream cheese a bit...but he still has to touch it to clean all the cream cheese up.


Throughout the session he has access to napkins to clean up anything that threatens his senses.  He get increasingly agitated, but completes each task.  Sometimes right away, sometimes after a lot of prompting and reminding him that they have to clean up all the cheese...and one more to go...etc.

Successes:

The week before he wouldn't touch the brie...this time he broke it up and put several into the cup before reaching for the napkin.

Needs work:

He is still NOT happy with any of this process.  Still not eating anything, though he gets tastes throughout the process. 

After this session, I felt like we have been doing this for 8 months, but he still only eats a small number of foods. I asked Ellen how long this process would take.  She said that according to research, it takes twice as long to overcome as it did to get to this point.  So it took Mason 2 years to be diagnosed, so it will be 4 YEARS before he eats normally.  I felt like crying...this was overwhelming..daunting...seemingly impossible.

Luke 1:37  For nothing will be impossible with God.

In my heart I know this, but sometimes it is hard for my mind to comprehend.  The odds seems insurmountable.  The progress is excruciatingly slow...but we are moving forward.

A year ago...

Mason couldn't stand having his hair washed or cut...
Now he tolerates both
Mason couldn't finger paint or use glue or touch any foods
Now he allows food to be near him without hysterics, paints at school and glued popcorn to a art project last week
He would not touch/eat his birthday cake
He now eats cake with icing and brownies
Mason would not drink or eat anything that was cold
Now he will drink milk and juice cold and he ate 1/2 of an ice cream sandwich on Friday

This is Mason story.  It is hard and sometimes wet, sticky, and cold (trifecta)...but we give God the glory in the work that he is doing in us and in our little boy.

Mary