HELP SAM AND JAMES EAT
Donation protected
Help Sam and James Eat
Meet my nephews, Sam and James. Their story is nothing short of a miracle. They are the sons of Matt and Mandy Kemp (my sister and brother in law). Born at 30 weeks gestation, they weren’t given much hope of survival. Sam weighed 2 lbs. 1 oz. James weighed 2 lbs. 4 oz. Because they were born prematurely, their lungs were severely underdeveloped. This caused them to need a breathing tube down their throats, until they were able to breathe on their own. They also needed feeding tubes in their noses to receive nourishment. They stayed in the NICU for 6 months, before they were able to come home. They had their breathing tubes down their throats for 4 of those months. After which, they had oxygen tubes in their noses.
Because they had always had tubes in their throats or noses, they developed an oral aversion. An oral aversion is when you are uncomfortable or fearful of things near or in your mouth, including and especially food. Because of the breathing tubes and feeding tubes that were uncomfortably down their throats during their 6 months in the NICU, Sam and James developed a severe oral aversion. They would not breast feed or even bottle feed.
They later had to have a gastrostomy tube, or gtube, placed surgically into their stomachs, as a semi-permanent feeding tube. The gtube is a device that allows formula to go directly into their stomachs, bypassing their mouths and throats completely. They get 100% of their nutrition through their gtubes. They have been trying various methods of feeding therapy, with several different feeding therapists, over the past two and a half years. Nothing has been successful in getting the boys to eat.
Sam and James are nearly three years old. We want to be done with their gtubes, and for them to live normal and healthy lives. Although their gtubes have been vital for their nutrition, there are several negative effects, including infection, reflux, abdominal pain, skin irritation near the gtube, increased stress on family members, no family meal time, and high cost of feeding supplies and formula. Not to mention that Sam and James aren’t able to be normal toddlers, because they are hooked up to their feeding pumps for over two hours each day.
Prolonged tube use can interfere with development of self-regulation, motor skills, and healthy family dynamics. Although skills can be learned at later ages, both motor skills, and self-regulation have critical windows in which skills are more readily learned that can be missed if oral eating is delayed past the time of medical necessity. Earlier oral eating will result in less financial stress, as well as improved health.
We need your help! Sam and James will begin feeding therapy with a reputable company to help wean them from their gtubes on March 20. They will continue this therapy for ten days. The feeding therapy is a large expense, especially with two children. We believe that this therapy is a huge investment in their future. We’re confident that Sam and James can overcome this obstacle with the help of a professional. If you’re able, please help Sam and James eat!
For more about Sam and James, as well as updates on their progress, visit their blog!
helpsamandjameseat.blogspot.com
Meet my nephews, Sam and James. Their story is nothing short of a miracle. They are the sons of Matt and Mandy Kemp (my sister and brother in law). Born at 30 weeks gestation, they weren’t given much hope of survival. Sam weighed 2 lbs. 1 oz. James weighed 2 lbs. 4 oz. Because they were born prematurely, their lungs were severely underdeveloped. This caused them to need a breathing tube down their throats, until they were able to breathe on their own. They also needed feeding tubes in their noses to receive nourishment. They stayed in the NICU for 6 months, before they were able to come home. They had their breathing tubes down their throats for 4 of those months. After which, they had oxygen tubes in their noses.
Because they had always had tubes in their throats or noses, they developed an oral aversion. An oral aversion is when you are uncomfortable or fearful of things near or in your mouth, including and especially food. Because of the breathing tubes and feeding tubes that were uncomfortably down their throats during their 6 months in the NICU, Sam and James developed a severe oral aversion. They would not breast feed or even bottle feed.
They later had to have a gastrostomy tube, or gtube, placed surgically into their stomachs, as a semi-permanent feeding tube. The gtube is a device that allows formula to go directly into their stomachs, bypassing their mouths and throats completely. They get 100% of their nutrition through their gtubes. They have been trying various methods of feeding therapy, with several different feeding therapists, over the past two and a half years. Nothing has been successful in getting the boys to eat.
Sam and James are nearly three years old. We want to be done with their gtubes, and for them to live normal and healthy lives. Although their gtubes have been vital for their nutrition, there are several negative effects, including infection, reflux, abdominal pain, skin irritation near the gtube, increased stress on family members, no family meal time, and high cost of feeding supplies and formula. Not to mention that Sam and James aren’t able to be normal toddlers, because they are hooked up to their feeding pumps for over two hours each day.
Prolonged tube use can interfere with development of self-regulation, motor skills, and healthy family dynamics. Although skills can be learned at later ages, both motor skills, and self-regulation have critical windows in which skills are more readily learned that can be missed if oral eating is delayed past the time of medical necessity. Earlier oral eating will result in less financial stress, as well as improved health.
We need your help! Sam and James will begin feeding therapy with a reputable company to help wean them from their gtubes on March 20. They will continue this therapy for ten days. The feeding therapy is a large expense, especially with two children. We believe that this therapy is a huge investment in their future. We’re confident that Sam and James can overcome this obstacle with the help of a professional. If you’re able, please help Sam and James eat!
For more about Sam and James, as well as updates on their progress, visit their blog!
helpsamandjameseat.blogspot.com
Organizer and beneficiary
Monica Fox
Organizer
Spanish Fork, UT
Mandy Kemp
Beneficiary
