The Campbell Cuties: Barium Swallow Test

Friday, April 22, 2011

Barium Swallow Test

Since the beginning - Charlie has been a big spitter upper.
Seriously!
She's pretty much lived with a bib on.
Covering up all her cute outfits.
But...sheesh...it stains!
She has also been having lots of breathing issues and drinking milk (formula) doesn't help. It makes it worse. It's almost like her formula goes up her nose with every feeding. Well, at least that is what it sounds like when she coughs the whole feeding. It seems to go into her lungs. Well...with all her steroids and breathing treatments and ear infections the doctors wanted to check her out with a barium swallow test.
I'd never heard of it.
Well, the doctors don't even like to do it because it does not give good results.
Seriously?
Isn't there another test that has accurate results?
Well, we did it.
She was a champ.
She couldn't eat or drink passed midnight on Sunday. Monday morning at 8:15 we had an appointment at Cardon Children's Hospital for the big test. We arrived at 8am. She was starving. Literally starving. As they took us to the radiology room for her test, we were told the radiologist was with another patient that was refusing to drink the barium liquid. She was 15 and was a drama queen saying that she just couldn't drink it. So we had to wait.........

We entertained Charlotte with toys and a Baby Einstein movie. She got all decked out in a baby hospital gown. And, the Hottie and I alternated taking pictures. Finally the drama queen finished her test and it was Charlie's turn. They made her a bottle. She got strapped into this table contraption. The xray machine opened up above her and she started drinking. She gobbled down that bottle like she had never seen food before. In fact - she wanted more. Drama queen? Nope. She was hungry. To be honest, we have yet to see anything that she won't eat or drink.

Following the completion of the test, we were led to the toy room. O.M.G!!! I was imagining a little toy chest with plastic bracelets like at the doctor...but, oh no...we're talking major toys. Movies. Games. Puzzles. Video games. Dolls. Tons of toys. The nurse said that people donate their toys...you know - like at Xmas and Birthdays when your kids get soooooo many toys and you end up putting some of them up in the closet for "rainy days." Well...instead - I should be donating them to the hospital. So...that's what we'll be doing from now on. The cuties will love it. They like when they "volunteer" to give their toys to the Goodwill - so now...they can give them to the kids in the hospital.

Anyway - as for the results. Her anatomy is correct (um, thank goodness!). It seems as if she has got herself some acid reflux. Ugh! I hate heartburn (I really only get it if I'm pregnant) and I can't imagine getting it as an infant. No wonder she's cranky when her belly hurts.

So...she's now taking a new medicine for reflux. The pharmacist said that we will want to strategically hide the medicine in juice or Kool-Aid (yes, he said that Dad) because it tastes awful - like straight alcohol even though it is supposed to be peppermint flavored. Well...no need. This too she takes down like a champ. As I poured it for her this morning she was kicking her legs and smiling like I was getting ready to feed her a cupcake.