Exhausted grandparent

by Jody
(Palmdale, Ca. USA)

My granddaughter is eight years old. She has been diagnosed with autism, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Mild retardation, and Pervasive Development Delays.

We have been in every kind of therapy for the last five years. My granddaughter cannot chew. She can only eat pureed and finely chopped foods. She mostly eats pasta's and mac and cheese. She is constipated all the time. I am at my wits end. I am exhausted and ready to give up. There has to be something that can help this child.

We don't have any certified feeding therapists in our area. The OT therapist don't know what to do with her. They just keep giving me tips and ideas that don't work and just cause me more frustration. It's ridiculous how difficult it is to find help for these special needs children. I just want her to be able to eat a normal meal.