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.