Anyone with feeding tube experience?

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=megwing]megwing[/url]. A hole is surgically made into the stomach area, and a little "button" placed over it. You then attach the tube to the opening and slowly pour/drip food into it. Same with medicines. A child with a feeding tube will eventually need assistance in learning to eat orally, and that will often be a slow process because they will have become overly sensitive to food touching their oral area. The actual feeding with the tube is not that complicated.... but for people who are squeamish, it can be a little bit unnerving. And you have to be sure to clean it well, and to be careful to keep your hands clean when dealing with the area, etc. Most people seem to get used to the whole thing pretty quickly..... Megan

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=heypaula]heypaula[/url]. Thanks megwing. That was very helpful. Have you cared for a child with one of these? They tell me that in the summer she will be hosptitalized for a month so they can teach her to eat on her own. Do you have any experience with the kinds of therapy she has every week? Thank you so much.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=hope4kids]hope4kids[/url]. My baby, C, is 16 months old and gets all these therapies and is progressing wonderfully. They can often arrange for the therapy to take place in your home unless the child needs to participate in the developmental therapy classroom in addition to the one on one therapies. That's what we did for a while and it meant she got 6 hours of therapy a week, but now she doesn't need therapy that often. You will have home assignments to do to reinforce what the therapists are doing. They will also recommend any adaptive devices the child may need. Two others therapists see my baby and may benefit the little girl you mentioned. C has a nutritionist that helps with feeding issues and a feeding therapist. C has not needed a g-tube, but she does have a swallowing and feeding disorder. Thankfully, medicine, therapies, and changes in her diet seem to be working well. My friend's baby has a g-tube. It has fallen out once, so be sure you are taught how to put it back in if that happens. Also be careful of the surfaces on the floor if you have to do night feedings. A few times my friend's daughter's has unhooked during the night and leaked all over. Let me know if you have specific questions about pt, ot, speech, or feeding therapy. Why does this little girl have a g-tube? What is she in the various therapies for?

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=megwing]megwing[/url]. No prob. Both of my foster sons have had mild problems with feeding but nothing along those lines. I am a speech-language pathologist though, so I am one of those people who works with those children who are learning how to eat orally. Let me know if you have any more questions. Megan

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=jolean12]jolean12[/url]. My baby girl had a feeding tube for about 4 months, but she had a nasal gastric feeding tube. It doesn't sound as complicated, we just put her food in a bag and it was dispensed slowly all day long. Although it clogged a couple of times and she pulled it out once, it wasn't so bad. Thank goodness she is doing great eating now.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Micki]Micki[/url]. What would the reasons be for a baby to require a feeding tube? Cleft palate? does it come from something that happened during gestation?

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=jolean12]jolean12[/url]. My baby required a feeding tube because her reflux was so bad that she aspirated and went into respiratory arrest at 12 days old. She was also going through withdrawls at the time and was having a rough time, although hers wasn't as bad as it could have been. She is doing much better now. She still has a lot of breathing problems and uses a nebulizer every 4 hours but in comparison she is doing great:)

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=hope4kids]hope4kids[/url]. Jolean, You may have mentioned it before, but I don't remember. Our girls sound like they have similar medical issues. Mine aspirates reflux too and then we discovered she also aspirates thin liquids directly. Anything she drinks has to be thick or she loses control of it and aspirates. Her first two swallow studies didn't show it, but clinically she appeared to be aspirating and treating her as if she did helped her breath a lot better. Have the doctors considered a swallowinf disorder as a contributing factor to you daughters respiratory issues?

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=jolean12]jolean12[/url]. No they have not but that may be something we need to check into because ever since we have added a jar of baby food to every 6 ounces of formula she has done much better....of course next month she will be one and ready to start on real milk so maybe we should check on that. Thanks for the info, anything to make it better for her.