How does a gj feeding tube work

You can ask your team members anything. The G tube team will decide if it is safe and technically possible to insert a feeding tube. Together with your health-care team and the G tube team, you will:. Take time to think about what tube feeding means for your child and family before you make the decision. Many families feel overwhelmed with this decision and what this will mean for their lives.

This normal reaction triggers many feelings for families, such as:. Your feelings are important. The health-care team will do its best to help you and your child identify and acknowledge your feelings, and come to terms with your decision.

If it is safe to feed your child by mouth, they will still be able to enjoy eating and drinking my mouth despite having a feeding tube. The feeding tube will give extra nutrition in addition to what they will take by mouth. Children with feeding tubes can still do all of the activities including swimming that they may have done before the tube was inserted.

They may even have more energy and be more active. Despite the many benefits to having a feeding tube, taking care of it can be time-consuming, affect your lifestyle, and seem overwhelming. There are costs to having and maintaining a feeding tube.

You will have to buy supplies for the feeding tube. You may also need to purchase a feeding pump. Ask your health-care team about financial supports to help you with your costs. They will provide you with the necessary education, resources and on-going support.

You can also reach out to the team or other parents for support. Looking after a child with a G or GJ tube will be an adjustment. With time, however, you will become comfortable with the feeding tube and it will become a part of your daily routine. Most families are glad they made a decision to get a G or GJ tube for their child.

Although there may be challenges along the way, families adjust either on their own or with the help of their health-care provider. Some families decide not to proceed with a G or GJ tube for their child because it was just not the right option for their child and family. Like G and J tubes, GJ tubes use a water-filled balloon to help the tube stay put in the stomach. Because it leads to multiple places, a GJ tube has multiple ports on the outside:.

Gastro-Jejunal GJ Tube. Anatomy of a Tube Click image to enlarge. Click image to enlarge. Continuous sets are used when feeding small amounts constantly throughout the day or night without interruption. Avanos Uses Cookies Like most sites, Avanos Medical uses cookies to collect and store information and deliver a personalized experience. We may use cookies that: are essential for the website to work, remember your preferences, collect information about how you use our site, or provide more relevant content and advertising.

Continuing to feed when significant leakage is occurring will result in peristomal skin breakdown from the constant moisture. If the stoma diameter is larger than the tube in situ, the G-tube or button can be removed for half an hour or as per medical team and then reinserted, to encourage narrowing of the stoma.

Repeat if still remains too large. Note: This should only be done in a well-established stoma i. Avoid exchanging the tube for one of a larger French size diameter as this does not resolve the problem, unless the underlying cause has been addressed. Allevyn around the stoma site to draw moisture away from the skin Change dressing as required until excoriation has resolved. Whenever possible an infant should be held during bolus feeding to associate the comfort of physical contact with feeding.

For other children the best position for feeding is sitting up. This facilitates the flow of feed and allows the stomach to empty more easily. For infants and younger children with a low profile device, it is advisable to use the right angle continuous feeding extension tube, as the rate of flow is easier to control.

This allows the stomach to empty more easily. Set up enteral feed pump and tubing with feed Verify G-tube placement If child has a G-J or J tube gently flush J tube with 5 - 10 mL sterile water to ensure patency. Note: aspirating jejunal tubes is contraindicated;. Flush tube with sterile water every 4 - 6 hours during continuous feeding. Where this is not possible, verify that medications can be administered via the jejunal port of a G-J tube or jejunostomy tube. If medication comes as a tablet crush to a fine powder and dissolve in small amount of sterile water.

If the child is on any of the following medications see Medications known to interact with enteral feeds , known to interact with enteral feeds, liaise with the pharmacist and dietitian for timing of medications and appropriate flushes. Discharge planning commences on admission. All children who have formation of a gastrostomy should have the discharge teaching plan CR completed. See Gastrostomy Clinical Guideline. Bankhead, R. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

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