Barium swallow study

When we came in yesterday, we were immediately told that Wyatt was going for a barium swallow study so they could see if there was anything anatomically wrong with him, whether he might be aspirating on breastmilk and to check for reflux. They had to take him down to radiology, which meant disconnecting him from everything. We weren't allowed to be with him during the study, but Pat, Amelia (OT), Peg (cranio-facial) were all there to observe. We went down with Wyatt. It is weird to think that it was the first time he has been on another floor. The first time he rode in an elevator.

A barium swallow study involves taking x-rays of the patient while they swallow a liquid containing barium. They also gavaged his stomach full and then fed him to see if he had reflux.

As it turns out, Wyatt has reflux so they are starting him on reglan and something else. (Oddly, reglan is the same drug they give women to help them lactate.) He is not aspirating, which is really good. They could watch him recover before anything went down the wrong pipe. There is nothing anatomically wrong.

Dr. Jennis also told us that the ultrasound of Wyatt's heart was basically normal. He has one abnormal finding of a tiny hole between the left and right side of his heart. The cardiologist said this should close on its own. Dr. Jennis said there might be some spilling of blood between both sides, but whether that explains why Wyatt is sometimes dusky when he maybe gets upset . . . probably not.

Wyatt also has PDA, which is typical of preemies and will resolve on its own as well.