A feeding tube is used for infants who do not have the strength or muscle coordination to breastfeed or drink from a bottle.
Baby feeding tube problems.
Always flush your tube with the suggested amount of water before and after you use it including when you use it to take meds.
This is one of the biggest problems with feeding tubes.
An slp who knows about feeding and swallowing can look at how your child eats and drinks.
An oro gastric tube goes in to the tummy through the baby s mouth.
Some babies require tube feeding from birth.
If premature babies are unable to feed from the breast or bottle they are fed via a tube.
Infant feeding problems prognosis and long term outlook.
If the feeding problems are addressed as soon as your baby starts to show symptoms of feeding problems such as losing weight and refusing to eat the prognosis is generally favorable and is typically resolved with no long term health conditions or effect.
Testing for feeding and swallowing disorders.
Sucking and swallowing problems due to prematurity or brain problems.
Your doctor can test your child for medical problems and check his growth and weight.
Usually your feeding tube won t need to be replaced for several months.
Talk to your child s doctor if you think he has a feeding or swallowing problem.
There are other reasons why an infant might need a feeding tube including.
Reasons to tube feed.
Others start out feeding orally but are unable to maintain adequate growth due to an underlying physical cause or unresolved feeding problem.
Tube feeding of premature babies.