The Nutrition4Kids website (developed by my partner Stan Cohen) has a lot of useful information for families. Here is a link to a recent addition: 5 Signs Your Child Needs a Feeding Tube

An excerpt:

Reasons for needing a feeding tube…

• Medical necessity, where the child can’t meet their calorie needs due to a medical condition (like, say, a heart defect, neurologic and neuromuscular disorders, or a digestive disorder.)
• Failure to thrive, often because of food aversions…
• Trouble learning to suck, swallow, and breathe

Here are some of the most common signs your child may benefit from a feeding tube.

• Sign #1: Your Physician Brings It Up 
• Sign #2: You’ve Noticed Development Delays 
• Sign #3: They’re Malnourished or Chronically Dehydrated
• Sign #4: You’ve Tried Other Options Without Success
• Sign #5: You’re Feeling Helpless as the Caregiver

If your child does end up needing enteral nutrition, understand that it doesn’t always mean it’s a forever situation.

Related blog posts:

• Which kids who aspirate need a gastrostomy tube?
• Long-term Outcomes with Pediatric PEG Placement
• Helpful Position Paper: …Gastrostomy in Children | gutsandgrowth
• Less stress after gastrostomy tube placement | gutsandgrowth
• PEG Decisions | gutsandgrowth

Resource:

www.feedingtubeawareness.com  This site contains a terrific PDF download which explains enteral tubes in an easy to understand style along with good graphics. “What You Need to Know Now, A Parent’s Introduction to Tube Feeding is the guidebook that every parent wished they had when they were first introduced to feeding tubes.”