Something is going to have to happen
Ok family and friends. We are asking for some prayer. Cadence had a 7 year well check up today. Her big problem is that she doesn’t eat. She has had this problem since she was about 1 and a half. Picky is a word that can’t even touch describing her. There are about 5 foods she agrees to eat. It has been called picky eating, a phase, stubbornness, waging war, you name it. Doctors have said that as long as she’s getting her vitamins and growing she would be fine. Well her Pediatrician out here has only seen her a few times in the last 3 years, however after today’s appointment; he thinks something and anything needs to be done, and fast. Her weight puts her in the 23rd percentile. Height is in the 67th. She has gotten taller, but has not gained a single pound in two years. He told us he is not an expert nor does he know anyone who is an expert in this area. He said he would be happy to coordinate any and all specialists we find, but until then he will be primarily watching her on a month to month basis. Should he feel she needs to be over-nighted with feeding tubes on a regular basis, he will. He referred us to see a GI and a Psychologist to start.
It all I guess sounds pretty scary and I guess it is in a way for us. But we have been living this way for what seems to be her entire life. She solely nursed for 9 months. After that she loved anything mashed up we would give her. I remember specifically the day I saw something funny. She was about a year and a half and Gerber had (I think they still have) those “meat sticks”. I cut them up pretty small and put them on her plate. She eagerly grabbed one and put it in her mouth. Almost instantly she shuddered and gagged. For years I have talked to doctors about it. I’ve talked to Pediatricians, Naturopathic Doctors, ENTs, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, even a hypnotherapist. They all said it seemed odd, but they didn’t know what to do about it. Texture does not seem to be an issue. The only similarity that could be drawn between the foods she likes is that they are all beige. She cries and shakes if we ask her to try something unknown. If for some reason the wind moves her to take us up on trying something, she undoubtedly will begin to shudder and gag exactly the way she did when she was a baby. The last Psych. we saw at Children’s Hospital here in the Valley diagnosed her with ADHD and OCD. She medicated her with the hopes that smoothing out some of her edge would increase her desire to eat. Unfortunately she medicated her with, of course, a stimulant which suppresses her appetite. None the less, she thought in the long run we would see an improvement.
This last month I’ve been noticing more and more bone. When she isn’t wearing a shirt, you can see every bone. When she moves, it’s like watching a skeleton. Her eyes have concerned me throughout this last year. They are sunken in and bluish purple.
I have tried EVERYTHING. “feed her what she wants, when she wants”, “only feed her what you’re eating, a kid wont starve themselves”, “don’t make a big deal about it, she’s trying to get attention”, “It’s just a phase, she’ll grow out of it”. It’s been 5-6 years. She will starve herself, she’s not growing out of it, I’ve bribed the heck out of it, offering her anything and everything, to no avail and I am so relieved that I finally have a doctor on my side. I just wish it hadn’t come to this and I’m praying for answers.
There is a clinic in Denver called the Eating Recovery Center. We will hopefully be making a visit very soon. It is my main goal to get in touch with someone there tomorrow and set something up. Something psychological is going on. God willing they can figure this out and put it to rest. I could deal with a picky eater. This just goes too far beyond that.
Please pray for her. She deserves the ability to eat without fear of whatever it is that’s stopping her.
Thank you
Jennifer May
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