Kintropy In Action: Will Trade Song For Animal

"Hannah - not in the mouth." Hannah and I sit on blankets in the family room, facing each other.

A purple peacock figure dangles from Hannah's mouth. Nearby, Noah's ark, its roof ripped off, lies open and empty. Animals are scattered across the blanket. It seems Noah was unsuccessful in shepherding his cargo safely to its destination.

"Not in the mouth, Hannah."

We've been working on this for a week or two. Hannah's classmates at preschool have made great progress in helping Hannah get beyond the oral fixation: the wonders of peer pressure! She has chosen not to bring those lessons home, however.

We've read that kids that use a trach often have an oral aversion. With food and liquids, this is true from Hannah; I think she instinctively protects her airway, particularly after so many bouts with aspirational pnemonia as an infant. With toys, though, everything still goes in the mouth.

I admit I knew Noah's animals would be orally tempting. Hannah has been putting those juicy little plastic morsels in her mouth since we celebrated her new found abilities to select, grasp, and hold. Now it was time to move to the next level, though – to challenge her to play with the toys, not Godzilla them.

Janette has been working on this with Hannah, too. The previous day, I had watched Hannah pick up a Little People toy and promptly march it to the guillotine. Mom had cried, "Ahhhh! Not my head!" and provided other dialogue and sound effects. Hannah, an efficient executioner, had ignored all pleas.

"Hannah, if you take it out of your mouth, I'll sing a song."

Pop! The peacock drops lifelessly to the floor. Hannah smiles and claps enthusiastically, ready for the first of the seven or so songs I sing regularly. When I finish, she, of course, grabs another animal and chews on it for ransom. We repeat our routine for several songs.

All of Hannah's behavior shows me (again) that