Partial relief - Miles' diagnosis

cooker71

What a clusterf*ck of an afternoon!!

Went to Children's for Miles' swallow study and upper GI test only to find they hadn't scheduled him for the upper GI test so we still don't know for sure if he has a TE fistula.

The doctor who did the swallow study (with nasty barium, poor guy) did find he's been aspirating with each feeding, meaning the formula is partially going down the wrong pipe. She believes this is causing his breathing/swallowing issues while eating and ordered us to start putting some rice cereal in his bottles.

If he continues to have issues, we need to bring him back for the upper GI test.

Trying not to be annoyed that they screwed up and we might have to go back, but hopefully this is the answer.

BTW, can I just say how sad it was to see all the children there for chemo and other testing?? Ugh.?

Brideofranken

Partial YAY (ya? ay?) for Miles!

I hope the cereal does the trick. thats lame that they screwed up their scheduling, though...

 

REOM

Gina had that barium testing, it was gross. Yes, cereal in the bottle did help her reflux. However, the rice cereal *really* constipated her, but it was much better once we switched to oatmeal, just keep that in mind.

I hear you, Children's Hospitals are so sad. But they are also places of hope b/c they are helping them! (that is what I told myself when I felt myself welling up with tears at Gina's GI doctor, who was in a hospital)

Hopefully this is it!

 

Kapalua

so, if the cereal helps...that will rule out the fistula w/o having to do the upper GI?  fingers crossed that that is the answer!

cooker71

Kapalua:

so, if the cereal helps...that will rule out the fistula w/o having to do the upper GI?? fingers crossed that that is the answer!

Yeah that's what she said.

Thanks for the tip on the rice cereal and constipation REOM!! I'll watch for that.?

karen6784

I am sorry the appt. was messed up.  I hope that the rice cereal does the trick!

j-w

Good news!  How annoying that they screwed up the scheduling, though!

AnneUCSB

Sorry to hear about the aspiration.  Just an FYI- the babies I work with in the NICU who are found to aspirate on the Modified Barium Swallow test are put on "Simply Thick" with their BM or formula.  It is a no calorie thickener and does not change the nutritional content of their feed or add any undue stress to the GI system like rice cereal or oatmeal may do.  Just something to look into, if you're interested.  Also, you can ask for a follow-up MBS study with the thickened liquids to be sure that he is no longer aspirating.  I hope the new feeds fix the problem for him!

r9stedt

Be ready for some white looking poop when the barium passes. Its crazy. Looks like hard marshmallows when it comes through. yay for a semi- diagnosis!!

Marchmamma

Glad to hear that it went well today.  Fingers crossed that the cereal does the trick.

Makinroom4baby

We used Simply Thick for Jayden when he started aspirating his formula, so that's another option if the rice cereal stops him up. The barium swallow was HORRIBLE for Jayden and imagine trying to do it with a 2 yr old. OMG. I'm sorry you had such a crazy morn.

oparcm

Glad that there was some good news.  Sydney had to do the cereal at 9 days old along with Zantac for the reflux.  It didn't cure it but it made it so much better.   I hope Miles continues to get good news.