Start at the beginning

Day she was born

What better place to start than the beginning.  When Annabelle was born she was a healthy, beautiful bundle of joy.  At 2 months old things happened (read more at Annabelle.Kresge.com) which led us to get a MRI.  From those results we found out she had a brain malformation called Polymicrogyria.  This was the point that our lives drastically changed.  Later that year we also discovered she has a severe milk allergy.  

Eating at the beach

Since she first started eating solids we have had difficulties with her low tone, tongue thrusting, and lack of tongue lateralization with foods.  At 3.5 years old she is still on a thick puree diet for nutrition and chunky / solid snacks for practice of oral motor skills.  Annabelle is also underweight, she is just 24 pounds so I use a lot of healthy fats and additives to increase calorie count in her meals.  This along with the milk allergy has created a lot of challenges with mealtime.  I thought I couldn't be the only one with these issues so I would start a blog to share what solutions and ideas I have come up with and hopefully others will share tips, tricks, and recipes from what has worked for them.

One of Annabelle's favorites this summer is hot dogs.  She can't eat them cut up or they end up on the floor, not that the dogs mind.  This is a version I came up with that she loves:

Blended dogs

1/2 hot dog bun

1 hot dog (if dairy free be sure to read ingredients, some dogs have dairy)

1 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp mustard

1-2 tbsp relish 

1/4 cup of beef broth

1 scoop Duocal powder - high calorie add in we get through GI Rx

Put bun in the food processor (I use a Ninja blender, either the processor or smoothie attachment ) and blend until bread has broken down to breadcrumbs.  Add remaining ingredients and blend 30-90 seconds.  If it is too thick add a little more beef broth and blend until it is the consistency you need. 

** Can also add in onions, pickles, tomatoes, avocado (good calories), cheese (if not DF).