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Enteral Feeding
- Involving the Interdisciplinary Team
- Considering Enteral Feeding Route
- Enteral Nutrition Selection
- Choosing an Appropriate Enteral Feeding Regimen
- Enteral Nutrition Administration Time
- Reuse and Cleaning of Enteral Feeding Equipment
- Risks and Complications of Enteral Feeding
- Administering Medication
- Monitoring Enteral Nutrition
- Assessment of Tube Feeding Intolerance
- Troubleshooting for Enteral Nutrition
- Establishing Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN)
- Additional Resources
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Transition from Enteral to Oral Feeding
- Tube Weaning: Transition From Enteral to Oral Feeding
- Readiness for Oral Feeding
- Set Achievable Goals
- Establish a Positive and Responsive Feeding Relationship Between Child and Parent/Caregiver
- Normalization of Feeding and Eating Behaviours
- Use of Behavioural Technique to Increase Oral Intake, such as Hunger Provocation
- Preparing to Wean Enteral Tube Feeds
- Planned Permanent Removal of a Surgically Placed Feeding Tube
- Additional Resources
Preparing to Wean Enteral Tube Feeds
Factors to consider before reducing tube feed volume include:
- interdisciplinary supports available
- timeframe for weaning
- current medical status and overall medical complexity
- type of tube used for feeding
- age, oral sensorimotor function, sensory preferences of the child
- oral intake and hydration monitoring – may need to set a minimum acceptable fluid intake, consider water via tube to replace feeds
- growth – set an agreed goal for acceptable weight loss or time frame before building up again
- energy levels and/or alertness during the day – is this related to medication, do they need a top-up bolus?
- family’s ability to support the weaning process
- action plan for re-insertion if a tube is removed
Ongoing reassessment of swallow, feeding skills, nutrition, growth, hydration status, and respiratory status are recommended during the weaning process and after enteral feeds have been discontinued.
