Home tube-feeding has a whole new set of procedures and responsibilities for you, your child and your family. It is only natural to have questions, or to need some help, once you have brought your child home.
Your child's healthcare professional can help you answer
questions such as:
- What to expect from the tube-feeding experience and the different tube-feeding options available.
- What type of equipment is needed and how to set it up.
- How to know if your child is getting enough nutrition.
Contact your child's healthcare team if you have any questions about any part of your child's home tube-feeding plan, including how they are handling their tube feeding, if they are having any problems, or if you have questions about their formula.
Your child's healthcare team is there for you and your child, to make sure that your home tube-feeding experience is as comfortable and problem-free as possible.
When to Contact Your Child's Healthcare Provider:
If you are having problems with how your child's feeding tube is working, or if there is a change in your child's health (like a fever or diarrhea) that has you worried, contact your child's health care provider. Some of these potential problems are:
Problems with the Feeding Tube:
- Tube is clogged: Formula will not flow smoothly through the tube and you have
- checked the tube for kinks or bends
- flushed the tube with water
- Tube moves in or out more than 1 inch
- Tube falls out
- Large amounts of fluid leaking around the tube (dressing is soaked more than once a day)
Changes that may signal an infection, feeding intolerance or other health problem:
- Skin area around tube has signs of infection:
- Reddened area
- Warm to touch
- Firm to touch
- Tender
- More drainage than usual
- Drainage that smells bad
- Bloody or coffee-ground-colored drainage from the tube
- A sudden increase or decrease in the amount of drainage through the tube
- Nausea and/or vomiting that does not go away
- Fever of 101 degrees or higher
- Unusual and/or sudden weight loss or gain (more than two pounds a day)
- Constipation: No stools for two days, or stools that are difficult to pass
- Diarrhea: Four or more loose or watery stools a day
- Stomach becomes bloated or distended and tight
- Stomach residual more than _____* mL after checking it twice
*Check with your child's healthcare provider for the amount of stomach
residual you should be concerned about. This amount will depend on
the age and weight of your child, the total volume of formula they are
getting and their feeding schedule.
The content on this website is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not intended to replace the advice of your child's healthcare team. Please consult your child's healthcare team with any questions about your child's home tube-feeding plan.
