Question:
My toddler has an NG Tube...?
ashley
2011-10-07 15:56:02 UTC
My 2 year old son has a NG tube in. He has had one for over two months now.

He has complications with taking so much medicine in and he fights to swallow them.. He always spits them out.

He was hospitalized with Leukemia in August and we haven't had any problems with his tube coming out or slipping out.
He has been home for about a month now and his tube has came out about 4 times.
I did take a Home Management Class and i'm certified to put it back in but my question is how can I keep it down better so it doesn't slip it out as easy as before?

& I also want to know if the Clinics are use to this, with toddlers loosing their tubes this easy?
Four answers:
TrueSnapdragon
2011-10-07 17:55:38 UTC
I would assume that you've spoken to your child's doctor about the Ng tube coming out frequently? What does he or she say about this?



It's really rare for us to have kids with an Ng tube for that long. Unfortunately, toddlers do tend to pull them out (so do the teens... all of our teens have pulled them out on their own.) I'd say that yes, clinics are used to this, toddlers losing their tubes this easily. It can take a LOT of work to keep it in, between making sure it's taped down well enough and that the toddler's hands stay busy enough to not pull at it... and even that only works sometimes. As you know, it's pretty hard to get a 2 year old to not touch something!



Are you taping it in place? How is it coming out? Is he pulling it or is it getting caught on something? Would more tape be helpful?



You should also talk to the doctor about how necessary it is and if there is any other way of doing things. Does he have the Ng tube only because of the medication issues? Is he getting feeds through the Ng, as well?



If the tube is not being used daily, I'd inquire about leaving it out and inserting it as necessary, depending on how your son does with insertion. I'm guessing that at two, the answer would be not so well (I've been with lots of kids during this procedure and I know that *I*, as an adult, would have an issue with it! No wonder kids don't like it!) What kind of leukemia does he have and where in treatment is he now? What meds is he on?



I'm wondering if it would be possible to do IV meds instead of Ng if he's only using the Ng tube for meds and not feeds as well. I don't know if this is possible through your clinic or not, or how well your son does while accessed (if he has a port), or even if all his current meds could be given IV (not possible in all phases of ALL treatment due to oral chemo, not sure about AML... if it's ALL, I'm guessing he's nearing the end of consolidation or has started interim maintenance... consolidation does have oral chemo.)



If his Ng tube is again just for meds and not feeds... have you tried doing oral meds again at all when the tube has come out? I don't think he'd be willing to do oral meds with the tube inserted, but has he been given a change to do them again when the tube is out? Most kids do get to the point where they will take oral meds (sometimes with tricks necessary.) But because he's had the Ng for so long, this may not be practical at the moment.



I'm sorry; I know I'm kind of talking in circles and not really getting to any good advice. I feel for you! Ng tubes and toddlers are quite a challenging mix. I wish I had some solid ideas for you... but in my experience, toddlers usually win over the Ng tubes and we have to find some other way to get the meds or feeds in. We've had a couple of kids end up with G-tubes, but never a kid with leukemia... it's always been kids with brain tumors who also have swallowing issues and need the Ng or G-tubes for feeds as well as meds.
anonymous
2011-10-08 14:43:24 UTC
My son was diagnosed with AML. Monday will be 2 weeks since diagnosis. He just finished his first course of induction 4 days ago and we're in the hospital waiting for his counts to recover. He has lost a a lot of weight and he's not eating. He just has no appetite! The doctors told us to expect an NG Tube soon because they need to get nutrition in him so he can fight this monster. He's 9 years old. I have no experience with this, but if you go on to the following website they can be extremely helpful!: http://community.lls.org/community/bloodcancer/mychildhascancer

It's the site for the Leukemia/lymphoma society and they have helped me SO MUCH with all the questions I have had! They all have experience with their children going through the same things we're going through and i'm positive you'll get more answers on there thank on here. They're awesome!

Other than that, I know for a fact that clinics and hospitals are very used to toddler loosing their tubes easily, whether it's them throwing up their tubes or pulling them out. Make sure you tape the tube to the side and a good way to keep the tube from his hands is to tape it to his back. Try it out and never be afraid to ask a doctor! You're not expected to know how to do or handle all these things. Good luck and I wish for many blessings for you and your family.
sohel
2016-10-02 12:56:53 UTC
A affected person with a great inserted NG tube shouldn't vomit, rather if the NG tube is desperate to suction. it extremely is the factor of an NG tube. the appropriate nursing action could be to guard the affected person's airway first. Then be sure the NG tube is properly in place, and notify the healthcare professional. examine a residual on the tube besides. confirmation by utilising X-ray could be mandatory besides. If the tube is in place, be sure the NG is to suction, in many situations low intermittent suction. desire it extremely is powerful.
DrS
2011-10-07 16:08:14 UTC
yes they are, an you can have them teach you to tie it off around his head to help keep it in ,


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