Well as you all know Kirra has been coughing since last October. And after seeing several pediatricians, specialists, and WAITING….. we’ve found answers. We’ve recently switched our main pediatrician and she ordered a swallow study to determine if Kirra has been aspirating (swallows food/drink into lungs), in addition to her reflux.

Well on Friday we did the swallow study at Children’s St. Paul, and they determined that she does show indications of aspirating! So, this would explain why she also coughs more during teething, because likely she is aspirating on her saliva. So…. what do we do? The tests indicated that she’s only potentially aspirating on thinner liquids, so we’re to thicken up her liquids by adding rice cereal, or this packet called simply thick (although very pricey). This will suposedly help her to re-learn to swallow properly. We also need to stay on the inhaler so that she can build up her lungs, and obviously stay on the prevacid for her heartburn.

I just bought some rice cereal and its pretty cheap. She mostly drinks milk anyways, so it will be nice to use this as much as possible. We have to use a special sippy cup because its so thick now it won’t go out of the holes. So we use the Nuby ones. The hospital gave us one, and I’ve been too cheap so far to buy anymore. We have sippy cups coming out of our ears. Maybe if I ‘dump’ the rest and just get a few more sippys we won’t be so apt to loose them etc.

Thanks for all the prayers that we would find answers. Its been a really long road, several doctors, specialists etc, and finally nearly a year later and a different hospital we’ve found ANSWERS! I knew that it wasn’t just “kids just cough” I KNEW that it wasn’t just re-occuring virus’, or “something in the environment”. What I’ve learned is Mom’s know best….. and you can’t stop until you find answers! Even if it means you’ll be on your 3rd pediatrician! (whom by the way we love a lot!) Its a bit of a drive for us (Vadnais Heights) but its SO worth it. You can get same day appointments and even in the evening and weekends!!

This is a big week for us, we’re going up to Birch Lakes for camping on Thursday. Its somewhere in between St. Cloud and Alexandria so hopefully we don’t get lost. We’re going to bring a kayak, and bike/burley. We both took Friday off, so we’re planning to leave right after work on Thursday evening. Hopefully the traffic up 94 isn’t too horendous! I’m excited to get out in the wilderness and enjoy the solitude that only camping can bring!

Jason has been busily getting our front yard landscaped and it looks BEAUTIFUL! Kirra is on the road to recovery with her cough from the Croup, although her voice is shot! Poor thing! She’ll be better to go back to daycare tomorrow though.