Long-term implications of a multidisciplinary tube-weaning program: Parental perspectives

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Nutritional Support
• Swallowing and Feeding Disorders

Background:

• Children unable to eat orally require enteral nutrition support via tube feeding.
• Transitioning from tube feeding to oral intake is a critical developmental milestone.
• Pediatric rehabilitation centers play a key role in managing complex feeding needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a tube-weaning program for children at a rehabilitation hospital.
• To evaluate the long-term outcomes of transitioning from tube nutrition to oral feeding.
• To assess parental satisfaction and child's well-being post-weaning.

Main Methods:

• A telephone survey was conducted with parents of children who participated in an intervention program (2011-2022).
• Data collected included the child's current eating status, education, social well-being, and overall health.
• Parents provided feedback on their experience with the tube-weaning program and ongoing support needs.

Main Results:

• Parents of 35 children responded, reporting high satisfaction with their child's eating (4.7/5).
• Few parents reported significant impact on family mealtimes (2.1/5).
• Younger age at weaning correlated with lower parental concern regarding current eating ability.

Conclusions:

• The tube-weaning program demonstrated success in facilitating long-term independent eating.
• Children achieved good nutritional status and social participation around mealtimes.
• Despite initial complexities, the intervention led to positive long-term outcomes.