Update June 12th, 2003 Michael is 2 ˝ years old now. He stopped eating by bottle in May 2001 (5 months old). He was in the hospital for dehydration with a sodium level of 180 in June. They put an NG tube in and that stayed for 2 months. His dad passed away on June 12th from a logging accident the week before the hospital visit. Michael also went in the hospital in July for a virus. He had surgery for a g-tube in Sept. He does very well with that. He was in the hospital the week before his 1st birthday for a virus. We came home the day before his birthday. That year was a very hard year for us with all that was going on. He was put on Pediasure at 9 months old. In 2002, Michael had no hospital visits that year. He did have 2 ear infections and 2 cases of pheumonia but we took care of it at home. We live with my parents. Michael had a cookie swallow test and a stomach emptying study done before. Results from the cookie swallow test are that he can not drink thin liwuids so we have to thickened them up with (applesauce) with the applejuice in special cup or we use thicket. Now he can take up to 1oz of pudding texture foods at one time. The day after Christmas he had a lot of nose congestion which we called it sinuses but the doctor said that kids do not have sinuses until age 3. So there was something going on with him until the beginning of March 03’. During that time, he lost 4 lbs they changed his milk to Neocate Jr. We thought it might be the milk to cause the congestion. When we would feed him even when he would be asleep, his nose would get stuffy. After the milk change, he acted like a whole different child. He threw up for a 1 1/2yrs while on Pediasure if not every day it was every other day. So he didn’t on Neocate Jr. no ways as much. This was great. I knew Michael had to feel a lot better. After he got better, he gained back fast to 27lbs. That is what he was before getting sick. Doctor had put him on Miralax for constipation. We have found out earlier that if we keep bowels movement then he doesn’t throw up as much. This medicine is working for him. Now Michael weight is 29.6 lbs. He is doing great. He gets EI, PT, OT, Speech. He can say almost all the sounds for his age. He makes combinations with the vowel and constant sounds. Sometimes it sounds like words. He can say “hey”. He can balance of hands & knees with open hands for 1 minute sometimes 5 minute at one session with the therapist. Can prop sit if he lends forward far enough for a few minutes. Also sit, stand with help, hold toys if I give them to him and sometimes put them in his mouth. He can roll from side to stomach if he is already on his side, but not back to stomach. Michael can roll from stomach to back. He likes to be on his stomach and he can get his arms bent under him, but not on stomach for long periods of time. He rocks side to side and goes in a circle too. He wears DAFO’s braces with dinosaurs on them, and wears glasses. He is so cute in them. He has a Mulholland Stander, Kid Kart Express stroller, Corner chair on loan, Gorilla car seat. We got a corner chair made to fit in his big red wagon so he can ride in it up and down the road. He loves it more than the chair in the house. He is a child that you have to keep moving if he is in his equipment. He also wears hand splints the help keep his hands open. All of the therapists are still working on everything with him to get him better at it. They are also working on getting his arms bent and rotating them with palms up. Cause he usually keeps his hands backward, and pointed outward. He did bend one arm back and forth reaching to hit a button. We are so proud of him in everything that he does. We went for a communication evaluation last month. They want him to have his own computer with programs on it. He will be using a switch since he is good at using them. He can learn like everybody else he just needs aids and equipment to help him over come his limitations. He jabbers all the time. He is as sweet as can be. He loves his picture being taken. He loves for mommy to help him color. That is all for now. He loves to learn new things.