Swallow Study

Oaklynn had another swallow study yesterday. She did such a good job. They started out with the thickest liquid in a bottle and had her swallow that one about 5 times. When she passed that without choking, they went to the next thickest (this is the level we currently thickened her bottles to now). She swallowed again about 5 times and didn't choke so they decided to try giving her liquid that wasn't thickened at all. Doing this worried me because in the past with non thickened liquids, she chokes so bad where she turns purple and can't breath. Because it wasn't thickened, it came out a lot faster than the rest, so she had it all over her face but when she swallowed it, she didn't choke! She did about 5 swallows again and never choked!

This means that we no longer have to thicken her liquids. Because of Rett Syndrome, she may regress and need her liquids thickened again, but as for now . . .  no more thickener!! What people don't realize is how much more food she can now have. It opens her up to eating fruit, soups and many more things!

They said that because of Oaklynn's low muscle tone, the liquid would start to go down the wrong pipe to head towards her lungs but when it did, she would control it and send it the other way. This is something she was not able to do before and we are so proud of her!!