Eli is finally GAINING WEIGHT!!!!!
After ther formula change to Peptamen Jr, Eli's weight has definately taken off. He is still listed as FTT (failure to thrive) b/c he is below the charts for weight based on his adjusted age ofr 10 months and his actual age of almost 14 months. Peptamen Jr. is an elemental formula. This means that the proteins and nutrients are broken down so his body doesn't have to do much work to utilize them for energy. His GI is quite pleased with his weight gain (and who wouldn't be.....he gained 400 grams in one week!). He is now up to 16lbs 4oz and is 29.5" long. He has a bit of chub back on him and we can barely make out the outlines of his ribs now. It is wonderful and Al and I couldn't be happier! Eli is also off of all of his constipation medications since being on Peptamen Jr. This is nothing short of a miracle. We have been battling severe constipation and relying on two medications, Milk of Magnesia and Miralax, for the past 5 months with no relief. This formula has taken care of the problem completely and Eli's diapers no longer have rocks in them! The only bad thing about Peptamen Jr is it's smell and taste. YUCK! It basically smells and tastes a bit like vomit. It took a bit of coaxing to get him to drink it but now he is getting at least 3 cans a day by mouth and two cans a night through his MIC-key button. This is a total of 1,250 calories of just formula alone. Then add on the solid foods he gets and the total adds up to about 2,000 calories per day.
This leads us to our next update. They still think that Eli has some sort of metabolic or mitochondrial disorder that is causing him to need such an incredible caloric intake for growth. Right now he gets the same number of calories as an average adult male. Eli will be going to the Genetic and Metabolic Disorders Clinic at Children's Hospital on August 29th for an appt and testing to see where we go from here. The appointment is supposed to last at least 2 hours once we get into the office. We will be there all day.....
So, our smiley, happy, energetic boy is growing. We couldn't be more proud. It is still a work in progress and a daily battle to get Eli to grow but we are making it. He has come a long way from the 14lb 8oz baby that he was just 3 short weeks ago. How could you not want to squeeze these chubby cheeks???
5 comments:
I am so glad Eli is finally gaining weight! I will continue to pray that all the tests at the end of August will come back with good results and that he continues to gain weight.
Hooray, Kellie! I'm so happy to hear of Eli's weight gain. Yall had me really worried! I hope the testing goes well, too.
Yay Eli! Jonas and I are thinking of you both often!
Great job on the weight gain Eli!!!!
I'm so happy to hear Eli's gaining weight -- what good news. I will send good thoughts that this is only the beginning of more good news.
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