Tuesday, February 21, 2017

When The Going Gets Tough!

Can I please be bold about our healthcare? I am not a genius when it comes to the healthcare system or to the politics of this world but when it comes to my child and my family I know what my heart tells me! I have been struggling with my daughter's appetite since she was one year old and the struggle is REAL!! I have tried everything, I have seen so many pediatricians and I have gotten many "second" opinions but it seems like all the doctors I see just tell me the exact same thing:


Your daughter is just a picky eater!
Your daughter just has a very tiny stomach, she can't handle a lot of food
This is just phase she will grow out of it
She will eat when she is hungry
Ahh she is just a kid
All kids are picky
Well she is still growing

Blah! Blah! Blah! I am sorry but if I have been going to doctors and expressing concerns about my child's appetite and her weight for 5 years don't you think somebody should listen!!!

I started to think I was seriously crazy! Am I just a helicopter mom that is overreacting because my daughter is "too thin" or is my voice just not being heard?


I went to this amazing conference in Louisville, Kentucky, they had a bunch of different classes for foster and adoptive parents, just sharing a lot of advice and knowledge about a bunch of different types of topics. The one I was most interested in was called "Is It Just Picky Eating, or is There Something More." I was very excited to finally get some answers about my child and what I can do to really help her with the struggles that she has. I asked a ton of questions and actually felt a tad bad because I didn't want to take up too much time but I need some answers!

It was a wonderful conference, I absolutely loved it! We talked about different sensory issues that children face but may not be able to express or verbalize. To share a little more info my daughter is an extremely picky eater, she has had her toe nails fall off. Some of her hair has just fell out of her head for no reason. The major one that we struggle with is recurrent pneumonia. My daughter holds food in her mouth for long periods of time refusing to actually swallow. It may not seem like a lot to some people but it's more frustrating than anything. After this class, I was really excited about moving forward and getting the help she needs. 

I brought some of the symptoms and possibilities up at my pediatricians office when we took a turn for the worse and my beautiful 6 year old baby girl passed out one evening. Unfortunately my pediatrician was not on the same page and completely dismissed my concerns. After many moments of me vocalizing my concern and expressing emotions and evidence that something is just not right I finally got a referral to see a nutritionist at one of the top children's hospitals in the US.  I was so relieved that finally my voice was heard and we can move forward with an action plan.

Well ladies and gents listen to this!!! Today was the day. I was excited, I was off work and we were on our way to see a nutritionist about my daughter! After all of the excitement and hope that we had can I just say, this appointment was nothing like I had expected! I shared my concerns about Alyssa's picky eating and shared symptoms that she had that seemed to point to some kind of sensory disorder and the nutritionist dismissed all of my concerns and pretty much said their was nothing they could do for my precious girl. My heart was breaking, tears were shed and anger was building up inside me! Why must it be so hard in this country to provide people with the healthcare that they need, the healthcare that they deserve and the healthcare that we pay for!! 
This is a 5 year battle of what some people would call a eating disorder, what some may call a sensory disorder and what most would call "just another picky eater" and people I am just not buying it anymore!! 
I know in my heart that some of those answers are just not true!! There is a reason why our children are picky!!
I will exhaust every optionevery doctors office and every single ounce of my being will go to getting my baby the healthcare and treatment that she needs even if that means uprooting my family to get it! Now who's with me!!

Moms and dads that may be dealing with the same or similar issues, (or friends that may know somebody that is struggling) please know that you are not alone and trust me when I say I am just as frustrated and exhausted as you are!! Please leave me a comment and please feel free to share this post!
Let us work together to find the answers that our doctors and pediatricians are just not giving us!!!