He's Officially Graduated!

Zeke is finished with therapy! 

That doesn't mean he's concurred all his eating and texture issues, but he's made some huge leaps in the right direction. I'm so proud of him and so happy he's come so far. Here is a list of the things Zeke does or does not do that he struggled with before. 

- Will sit at the dinner table without crying until everyone is done eating. We now required all the kids to sit at the table until everyone is done eating. This has been great for all of them! 

- Doesn't need to be washed 3 times while eating a meal. He does have a washcloth next to him so he can clean himself, but he's no where near as bad as he used to be. 

- Asks to have food put on his plate...even food he doesn't like. He knows that he has to have everything on his plate, but he doesn't have to eat it. 

- Is willing to help with setting the table and likes to help in the kitchen as well. 

- Has started trying new foods and actually enjoying a few....yay for nuts, carrots and nachos! 

- Is able to play with dry foods and doesn't get freaked out with the texture. 

- Doesn't cry when we say it's dinnertime. 

- Is not drinking his meals, but instead having 3 regular meals and 3 snack times....all at the table. Of course there are times when snack time falls when we are in the car so he'll eat in there and we do eat in the living room if we have a family movie night. 

- Has learned it's okay to play with food and not necessarily eat it. 

- Has started picking up food that would normally need to be cut into bite size pieces so he could eat it with a fork....pizza and chicken nuggets. 

- Will eat cold foods such as frozen yogurt, frozen blueberries and ice cream.

Here is a list of things he still doesn't do....

- Eat the end pieces of hot dogs....he will eat everything else, but those ones that are rounded on the end he won't have it. He did put one in his mouth the other day and then took it out so that's a huge improvement. 

- Try a food when we ask him too. If you mention trying a food he will just flat out say no. He will usually kiss it or smell it if you ask him to though. It's all about little steps! 

- Play with wet or messy food such as pudding or applesauce. 

- Try pasta...has never had any type of noodle at all. My carb loving self thinks this is such a shame! 

We started therapy in October of last year and seriously the changes we've seen are incredible. I no longer get all anxious when it comes to dinnertime because I know that he's going to handle it well. I learned strategies to help him and not to make him feel pressured and I love that he has opened himself up to new things. Children Therapy Center has been such a great place for us. Miss Jodi is awesome and Zeke still asks to go see her....he loves Miss Jodi and misses her. She did say if we need to come in for a consult in the future we can, but I'm hoping that what we've learned will be enough and that as he grows he'll become more and more comfortable and willing to try new things.