Oral and food aversion is something that’s close to my heart. It’s one of the “invisible” issues of prematurity. To some degree most extreme/micro prems experience it, even if they’re “just” fussy about what textures they will and won’t eat. It’s heartbreaking to sit by and watch your child literally starve themselves to death.
During her first two years we must have spent a small fortune on food that may tempt her to eat. One of her favourite foods was potato gems, we knew she liked it because she regularly ate two. Not two serves, two gems. And that would be it for the day, okay, maybe she’d have 200mls of milk as well.
It was only after a breakdown on my part during a paediatric visit that we were given help in the form of a feeding tube. It wasn’t eating, but at least she was ingestion enough nutrition and calories to help her grow.
This is Emma, like Erin she was born prematurely, weighing only 510 grams. At five she doesn’t eat. I don’t mean she’s a fussy eater, I mean she does not eat. She gets all her nutrition from from specialised formula–milk. Her aversion is so severe that even the smallest amount of solid food causes her intense distress.
Emma’s family would like to take her to Austria to take part in a specialised, intensive feeding therapy program, something that does not exist in Australia. This program costs $24,000 plus airfare, not something her family can afford, especially since Emma does not qualify for funding–which is another issue in itself. So, what I am asking is that you help. You don’t need to give much, a little can help a lot.
If you would like to donate please visit Feeding Emma on “I give a buck”.
