feeding through a tube,,, need some info please

[vampress]

hi, my daughter aged 9 lost a lot of weight these last two weeks due to having a chest infection, she was skinny anyway but now its awful, all her bones are jutting out and she looks so frail...well she was at clinic on friday and the nurse said that if she dosnt put weight on soon she will have to have all sorts done to her...!!!!!! ??????? what does she mean by that?.. chloes on fortijuice but she cant seem to put weight on..do you think her nurse meant feeding her through a tube?, i dont know much about this and would like some info if you can help please do! where does the feeding tube go?, does it hurt?, is it for continuious nightly feeds?..help!
thanks alot,
nikki,x

 

[anonymous]

Some parents opt for a G-TUBE when their childs weight has droppped dangerously low. Basically they surgically add an opening ( looks like the plastic part of a beach ball that you put your mouth on to blow up) on the abdomen and you would give her tube feedings when needed. It sounds very scary but I have heard alot of good stories...children tend to gain weight and when their weight is up their lung functions tend to be better. This way you will know she is getting enough calories daily and her weight will be more stable. Ask you doctors ..... my 9 yr old son does not have a G-TUBE but it was suggested a few years ago when he was not eating well...fortunately it was a phase and he eats much better now. But honestly I have heard some great G-TUBE stories ...look at past postings I am sure there is some info there on this topic<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

God bless you and your daughter

 

[anonymous]

Sometimes they start with a NG-tube. This is a very thin feeding tube that is placed down through the nose, down the back of the throat and into the stomach. The hospital staff will train you how to place the tube. It can be put in and taken out after each feed, or left in taped to the cheek while you are not using it. This was better for a baby because placing the tube everyday is no picnic!

I've heard that older kids actually place the tubes themselves.

The NG tube does not require surgery and is often used only temporarily to help patients gain weight quickly. Personally, we really did not enjoy our experiences with it, but Sami was just a baby then. The g-tube seems much less traumatic once the initially surgery is done.

Maria (mother of three daughters, the youngest Samantha w/cf)

 

[NoDayButToday]

I place my tube myself, its painless. In addition to what Maria said about NG Tubes, I heard that they can sometimes cause excess mucus production and inflammation-- two things CFers do NOT need LOL.