Health check didn't go soo well :(

[Early Kids]

I've just got home from his check and i'm feeling rather deflated.

Brendan has been referred to a Speech therapist, because he his "tongue tied" which is affecting his speech and also his food intake (still won't/can't swallow lumps) he has also been referred to a Physio because he has a small "hole" in his stomach muscles. he has a small section approx 5 cms long and 2-3 cms wide above his belly button which the muscle hasn't met yet.
He's been going so well I thought we'd be past all this

Also to add "insult to injury" Brendan gained only 115 gms in the last month, which is becomming a cause for concern as Brendan still has a slight reflux.

I've put together a growth chart for Brendan:

(weight, height and head cicumference)
Birth: 1545gms 40.5cms 28.5cms
1 week: 1455gms
2 weeks: 1590gms
1 month: 1905gms 43.5cms
6 weeks: 2190gms 32cms(HC)
2 months: 2730gms 47cms
10 weeks: 2925gms 48.3cms 35.2cms
3 months: 3480gms 50cms
4 months: 4260gms 52.5cms
6 months: 5560gms 58.5cms
7 months: 6295gms
8 months: 7160gms 65cms
9 months: 7720gms 66cms 44cms
10 months: 8220gms 68cms 45cms
11 months: 8805gms 71cms 45.7cms
12 months: 8920gms 72cms 46cms

I'm a bit bummed that he didn't crack the 9kg mark... I really thought he would have this month, he was SOOO close last month.

[Kazbah]

I'm sorry to hear that hun, have they mentioned/noticed the tongue tie previously?

Hoping all goes well when you see the physio.

It does sound like he's doing well though, he is putting on weight and growing, you're a great mum!

[JCE0810]

Sally- sorry the health check didnt go so well. Have they mentioned Brendan being tongue tied previously?. Good luck with the speech therapist & physio and hopefully your little man has cracked the 9kilo mark next month.

[Daydream Believer]

Good luck with it all!!!

[Early Kids]

have they mentioned/noticed the tongue tie previously?

No they haven't... but he has only just started to babble so i guess they've never really had a look at his tongue before. The nurse only picked up on it because his babble didn't sound right. (I didn't realise it didn't sound right)
I noticed that he couldn't (and still can't)stick his tongue out when other babies could, but figured that he'd just "grow out of it" (or that his tongue would grow)

Thanks Jo.

[MistyFying]

Sally it's hard when a checkup doesn't go quite the way you wanted it to. Early speech help should set him up for success with speech/language later, though. I hope he cracks the 9kgs soon for you

[nay23]

hey sweety i just wanted to send you huge
I bet with all this help he will race ahead!
Take care, keep smiling
xox

[diva det]

from one premie mum to another . . . .
i used to feel exactly the same after my Maternal health checks- and in hindsight these checks did me more worry than they were worth. Take Brendan to a doc that you trust and get him assessed. My twins both had tongue tie which was picked up at 8 month check. I get DS fixed as he was having an op anyway so they pinched it when he was asleep and didn't get DD done- she has no probs- if they do have to do it- its more a big deal for mum than for them - its pretty quick.
as for weight gains- my DS was below the chart - under the 10 % until he was 2 years old- at 2 1/2 he was above the 50% line and now is is heaps taller and bigger than all the kids in his class and the two grades above him - don't stress too much about the weight- he is soo close to 9kg- one crap and he is either there or below it!
As for the hole that they found- get a pead to check it- they told me that DS had a hernia- he didn't, missing a teste- he wasn't , had reflux- he didn't, and the list goes on!
i ended up down the docs after each check up b/c the health nurse was so concerned- and each time it was nothing- just normal premie stuff that will sort itself out with time. I was lucky enough to find a GP who had a premie so it was great.
HTH and just follow your gut what to think and what to discard
take care and give you bubba a big cuddle
odette

[Nadine216]

Oh, Sally

Thats not what a prem mommy wants to hear on 1ste year check up. I am so sorry.

This might not be of any real help, but my little lump of blubber only gained 7.2kg in her first year and she is still not at the 9kg mark either. I see his weightgain slowed from 9 months. Dd's did that too. I think its because she got more active (she started sitting up and wriggling and crawling) But again I am no expert. Just thought it might make you feel better to know that you are not alone. And I saw the pictures that you posted about him on his birthday and he looks very healthy and happy. (BTW Happy Birthday Brendan Year-end is making by brain all mussy and blah-blah)

About the speech. I am baffled. Dd can't talk and only makes da-da, ba-ba, ta-ta sounds *scratch head* She is NO WHERE NEAR speaking. I know she understands (she knows where her toes are ), but speaking and saying anything else than hhu and pfft ... na-da
Dd also only now started sticking out her tounge. Are there something physical wrong with the tounge, or only the mucsle-tone so to speak. I would be really interested to know, because of all the things that dd is "late" at, speech is the thing I worry about most, kwim. Her pead said not to worry, but as you surely know, a mom never stops worrying.

I am curious about the "hole" in his tummy. How did they "find" that?? And how are they going to fix it? Physio? Are you going to have to take him to a therapist every week, or can you do the exercises with him yourself at home?

God bless you hun and goodluck with everything. One day he is going to be big and strong and breaking the girls in the neighbourhood's hearts. Lucky for me he is going to be to far away for me to worry about him "stealing" my little princess

Keep your chin up

[Early Kids]

Are there something physical wrong with the tounge, or only the mucsle-tone so to speak. I would be really interested to know, because of all the things that dd is "late" at, speech is the thing I worry about most, kwim. Her pead said not to worry, but as you surely know, a mom never stops worrying.

I am curious about the "hole" in his tummy. How did they "find" that?? And how are they going to fix it? Physio? Are you going to have to take him to a therapist every week, or can you do the exercises with him yourself at home?

His tongue is still conected to the gum (not sure what the little piece is called??) I dont think that his speech is the problem... I think it's more that his tongue should have corrected by now. We are on the waiting list to see the speechy, i think it's about a 4 week wait.

I've always noticed his tummy too, but I thought it was the same, that he'd grow into it?? I only brought it up with the nurse cos I figured by one (9.5 corrected) he'd grown into by now. And it also doesn't appear to be getting better. Not sure about how the physio works, I'm guessing they'll give me some excercises that might help.

I suppose that's the down side to being a first time mum to a prem.

Odette, thanks for the advice, but unfortunately I dont trust our local GP's. And the CHN has done work with the NICU/SCN in KEMH so my gut trusts her more than a GP. She's only being cautious.

[Kazmar]

Sally 2 u and beautiful brendan
It's amazing what they can do now about speech etc, I mean they can make the unable 2 hear, hear and the blind see! Im sure all will work out sweety, i havent been in this situation but please try 2 look at where he's come from and how far he's come
Bella and i will b thinking of u