The Chongs: Max's personal trainers

At the age of 7 months, Max has his own personal trainer other than mom & dad. In fact, Max has three trainers: Alisha, Micky, and Jared. Alisha is an occupational therapist, trained to help Max with self-help skills (eating, dressing, drawing, and making things). Micky is a physical therapist and Jared is the developmental therapist – both assist Max in developing his motor skills.

Max has a hard time focusing on eating with Alisha. Either he is smiling or giggling for Alisha. Our little boy is quick in socializing.

There’s no time to socialize when it comes to physical therapy. Micky and Jared makes sure that Max get’s his full hour of strenuous workout. This is Micky with Max sitting upright.

Max is usually knocked out after his one hour with Jared.

Various toys are used to keep it interesting.

How much more?

Look at me – I’m standing all by myself. Thanks Coach Jared!

Cookie swallow test was done when Max was three months old. Since birth, Max had a hard time with thin fluids and every since then, he’s been fed with thicken formula (rice cereal added). Currently, Max is on Zantac (1.6 ML twice a day) for his reflux. This test was done to determine if Max swallowing the milk without aspirating it into the windpipe.
On Feb. 5th – the cookie swallow test was done again to evaluate Max’s swallowing. Here’s a shot of Max strapped to the chair. Suzanne told me he didn’t mind the discomfort. I didn’t get to witness the process, but Suzanne said it was very neat to watch.
How it works
By using a swallowed contrast material which can be seen using X-rays, the physician is able to see all structures involved in swallowing (from the oral cavity to the esophagus) on a video screen while the test is taking place.
For more info: http://www.telability.org/handouts/TelAbilityHandoutTeststoEvaluateSwallowingFunction.pdf

Suzanne and Max celebrating the good news after the cookie swallow test. It turns out, we can start thinning the formula and Max get finally drink juice. I guess this might be bad news for our little “golden pig”. Max got fond of rice cereal. Oh well, time for first diet.

Feeding time – with sweet potato.

After his meal he is all smiles.

Max is not old enough to wrestle his big brother, but he sure has a mean grip. The first battle with big brother, I’m sure there will be more to come.
Tug of war

“Okay, you can have your blanket. I’ll just play with my socks.”

DVD was probably Zachariah’s third word. (Mom and Dad being the first two). Zachariah grew up watching Baby Einstein and now he’s graduated to Little Einstein. This DVD player is the second one we bought for Zachariah. He broke his first one after countless hours of Baby Einstein and unending drools into the unit.