The Mentor Parent

1
The Mentor Parent

• Setting the Stage
• The Mentor Parent Perspective

2
Happy Endings

• Zachary
• 17 years old
• Height 52
• Weight 130 lbs
• Marches with the school band

3
In the beginning

• Didnt gain weight hospitalized for failure to
  thrive and diagnosed with a nervous mother
• At 6 ½ weeks, diagnosed with a congenital heart
  defect.
• Initial surgery followed by months of struggle to
  gain weight which I realized was water weight
  because he was in heart failure.

4

• More surgery followed by tube feedings of high
  calorie formula
• Did well, gained weight
• Started to develop gross motor skills

5

• Wasnt gaining weight
• Began tube feedings of high calorie formula
• Worried about transitioning to solid food and
  having him learn to eat
• Cardiologist no help

6

• Pediatrician no help
• Everyone too scared to compromise his medical
  status and push him developmentally

7
Help at Last

• Early Intervention
• Help from a nutritionist
• Made a list of things I should do
• Encouraged me to pick one to start
• Once I did one, was easier to move on

8
Eating

• Zach finally transitioned off tube feeds and high
  calorie formula at age 3
• Sadly, missed window of opportunity for learning
  to eat
• Blueberry pop tarts serving of fruit

9
The Process

• Recruited families to participate
• Randomly assigned to control or intervention
  group
• Intervention received mentor peer support
• Control offered delayed intervention

10
Mentor Parent Support

• Liken to having an exercise buddy
• Helped keep health wellness on the familys
  agenda
• Provided information, resources and support (the
  cheering section)
• Helped tailor activities to be consistent with
  family values and interests.

11
Example

• Make Meal times pleasant
• So many families didnt eat meals together,
  especially single parent families.
• Encouraged them to eat at least one meal
  together each week, even if the parent just sat
  and had a cup of tea while the child ate