What's up with Will...

Will started e-stim therapy two weeks ago. The therapy is going well. He is tolerating it for an hour each time. He lifts his head so that the therapist can put the stickers on and sits very still until she is done. He is very motivated by Cheetos. The kid can't get enough of them. Another major motivator is McDonald's french fries, go figure!

He is still chewing the food and spitting it out, only swallowing a few times. Not much goes down but alot goes in, if that makes sense. The therapist thinks that this is a learned behavior and that we are going to have to teach him the new behavior of swallowing. I don't know...I just want him to eat!

He has become very "chatty" since starting the therapy. Josh called this morning and Caroline put the phone to Will's ear and he said "How", his oh so cute version of "Hi". He is also mimicking alot, like doing the dance moves while watching tv. It helps that Caroline always stands up and does the dances and now Will is joining in.

Will has also started throwing tantrums. So age appropriate but oh so frustrating. He is doing the lay on the floor and kick his feet crying thing. I was excited about it the first time he did it, thinking "oh that is so good...he is doing a two year old thing" but now I am over it. We have started calling these episodes "meltdowns" because that is just what he does. He melts onto the floor and cries.

We have scheduled an appointment with an ENT, a new one at Children's hospital, in March. At that appointment they will be doing a swallow study where they will put a small camera up his nose and look down on the swallowing process instead of the typical front view with an x-ray. They are hoping that it gives them more information on his swallow pattern and also if there are any obstructions. I will also be asking about the ear infections and ear tubes.

Will was actually attempting to say "Cheese" in this picture. He says "EEEEEEssseee".