*there's the month of check ups

The results of Will's 2 year developmental testing from the Vanderbilt NICU Follow Up Clinic

Chronological Age: 24 months 2 days
Corrected Age: 21 months 11 days

Weight: back to the less than 3rd percentile... 
 22.27 lb (<3rd%ile chronologic; 3%ile corrected)
Height: 31.9 in (4%ile chronologic; 11%ile corrected)
Head Circumference: 18.64 in (17%ile chronologic; 23%ile corrected)

Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development
Cognitive age equivalent: 24 months
Receptive Communication age equivalent: 22 months
Expressive Communication age equivalent: 23 months
Fine Motor age equivalent: 27 months(!!)
Gross Motor age equivalent: 23 months

The narrative part of the assessment says that all of his results are within a normal range but since his ability to talk could improve with therapy a speech and language evaluation was recommended. Luckily I have had Will on the waiting list for that for a couple of months.

I had suspected that Will's fine motor skills were at least a little advanced but didn't really have a way to compare. Good or bad, it is nice to have something formal to confirm what we thought was true. In summary, he could gain some weight and speak more clearly but he is GREAT with his hands and is just as smart as a 2 year old should be!

A few days after this assessment we went to Will's 2 year well check with the pediatrician. Unfortunately I had to hear "I'm concerned about his weight" from a second doctor in less than a week's time. Starting a few weeks ago, with the help of Will's feeding therapist, his dietitian has agreed to be a little more aggressive in weaning him from his feeding tube. That has helped him eat more at meals but there was a major decrease in daily calories from the formula that he drinks. The fact that he maintained his weight after the decrease was a good sign, but when there's no gain and even a small decrease the alarms go off in the heads of the professionals.

Since this feeding stress can be trying, I'll point out the bright side for us all to remember...
he has never needed a different, more difficult kind of feeding tube
he tolerates feeds (that means he doesn't vomit several times a day...anymore)
he doesn't require any daily medications (right now)
we have the gift of good health insurance

he is willing to try the food we offer him
and
he will eventually eat!!

A partial month's supply of his current formula, Pediasure 1.0.

His upcoming appointments:

 

Next up is Dr. Arboleda in the GI clinic...