Wait, Watch, and Wonder

The philosophy of the Austrian method consists of reducing Sara's tube feedings and then "wait, watch, and wonder" for her to get hungry and decide what / when she wants to eat.

According to the hospital's website:

"There are basically 2 main goals of the treatment:
- On the physical level (somatic approach): let her be hungry
- On the developmental level (psychological): increase autonomy

The understanding of the presenting problem from the child’s perspective (and not from what we think is important from an adult perspective) is the crucial prerequisite to find a path to the child’s personality and to estimate how to stimulate its sensory and motor abilities from a developmental point of view."

They have a success rate of 95% and have helped around 600 kids so far.

The method sounds very simple to follow but it will be hard as a mother to "let go" and let Sara decide when / what to eat; even if she is only taking minimal amounts of food at the beginning, loosing weight, and being fuzzy. The doctors will evaluate how to cut her tube feedings so that she is hungry but does not loose more than 10% of her body weight. Once we start the program I will only be able to feed her by tube at night so that she does not associate the tube with feeding anymore. The doctors will also observe my interactions with Sara to recommend ways in which I can develop dynamics for her to foster independence and autonomy which will also help her with her sense of autonomy when eating. If there are any medical reasons why Sara is not eating they would also evaluate and control those issues.

Sara will also participate in a food play therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

I will have to be patient, I will have to trust that Sara will figure out how to self regulate and satisfy her hunger. I am also trusting God and every time I have doubts I visualize Him taking care of us.

Hope

I have been surfing the internet and reading about other kids that learned to eat by applying the Austrian method. I have even emailed and talked over the phone with moms that have gone through this. I have HOPE and knowing that we will be in Austria in 6 weeks keeps me going...

Here are some of the links to these success stories: (I have posted these links without the families' permission since I have not met them all but I hope they do not mind...)

http://www.franklyfrankie.com/

http://alexdeyoung.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html

http://lifeandtimesofstella.com/tube-weaning-resources-and-tips/

http://www.helpluciaeat.blogspot.com/

http://tovasibony.weebly.com/graz---day-26.html

http://andreamaeeat.weebly.com/graz-photos.html

http://corkrancapers.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html

http://www.help4oscar.com/

http://feedingfinn.weebly.com/

http://matthewourmiracle.weebly.com/latest-update.html

http://joshuaschallenge.weebly.com/joshs-blog.html

Sara is going to Austria

Sara is 11 months old. She has had a feeding tube for a little over a month and she is being fed through this tube. She lost some weight at 9 months and we do not know why she would drink and less and less: maybe reflux, maybe aspiration, or maybe bad memories from the bottle? (she would reject the bottle but eat solids... at daycare they tried to put her on a schedule and was possibly force fed, previously at home she was fed by demand...) However, since she has had the tube she does not feel the need to eat and drink and will only take small amounts.

Sara needs to learn to eat like other children. Sara is going to Austria to a special clinic this April 2010. The doctors will reduce her tube feedings so that she will become hungry. The clinic also organizes activities so that she will be able to play with food. The idea is that she will be hungry and will decide when and what she wants to eat. This is a "leap of faith". She will be in control and hopefully will learn and enjoy to eat!

There is more information about this clinic at http://www.notube.at/ (University Children's Hospital Graz, Austria)

I will post more information as we get ready for our journey and while we are in Austria. Please pray for us and wish us luck!