We had a feeding tube placed three days ago

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

This is Maddison Tolbert's mom from Georgia. The last time I posted

I was in a delima about Maddison needing a feeding tube placed at 4

years old. Well we saw the gastro. and he said she needed it

because she wasn't even on the charts for weight. She is 4 1/2 and

38 inches and 24 lbs. So we did the surgery Tues 11/22. We are home

from the hospital and doing pretty good. My question is the doctor

sent us home on five times a day feeds of 4 onces. This means she

will have to have 2 feeds at school. Anyone else do feeds at

school? I know they have to do it but when we talked with the

school last I was under the impression that she would just be

getting the feeds at night and not at school so that is what I told

them. How do I go about telling them she will have to have 2 feeds

at school and who do I see first, (principal, lady that does the

IEP's etc.)? Will a para pro/teacher aide do the feed or a nurse?

And where do they do them, not in the office I hope. I don't want

her to go out of class to have it done all the time. It is probably

going to work out where she has one at the very beginning of lunch

and the other at their afternoon snack. We have a pump and gravity

feed thing. I assume she will take a back pack and the pump to

school and wear it during the feeds? Is this what anyone else

does. Any input will help please.

Tolbert

Mom to Maddison 4 1/2 24lbs (for now), 38 inches gh, periactin,

zantac,

[Guest guest]

,

I am so glad that the surgery was so relatively easy and successful

for you and for Maddison. It sounds like you all have adjusted

pretty quickly.

As for Maddison getting the feeds at school, it is usually the nurse

who does it. I know in my school there was a little girl who needed

bolus feeds before lunch and in the afternoon and the nurse did

them. She was very matter-of-fact and the rest of the kids came and

went to and from her office without a second glance. Kids are

pretty accepting to what is going on around them if we adults are

honest with them.

You may have no way around the lunchtime feedings, but is it

possible for Maddison to have the next one as soon as she gets home

to avoid her losing more time in class? It may not be, so the

teacher and the nurse will just have to adjust. Her health is more

important than anything else.

Perhaps later on you will be able to switch to overnight feeds to

help her gain weight and then not worry about schooltime feeds, but

that is not for now. If I recall, you were talking about her not

having the energy to make it through the day, or being very tired.

These extra feeds will help her with that.

Jodi Z

[Guest guest]

- Hello. How is Maddison doing? How are the feeds going?

I've been a little out of touch lately, thus my reason for

responding so late. I'm happy to hear the surgery went well. Just

checking-in to see how you are all doing. Thinking of you.

- H

>

> Hi everyone,

> This is Maddison Tolbert's mom from Georgia. The last time I

posted

> I was in a delima about Maddison needing a feeding tube placed at

4

> years old. Well we saw the gastro. and he said she needed it

> because she wasn't even on the charts for weight. She is 4 1/2

and

> 38 inches and 24 lbs. So we did the surgery Tues 11/22. We are

home

> from the hospital and doing pretty good. My question is the

doctor

> sent us home on five times a day feeds of 4 onces. This means she

> will have to have 2 feeds at school. Anyone else do feeds at

> school? I know they have to do it but when we talked with the

> school last I was under the impression that she would just be

> getting the feeds at night and not at school so that is what I

told

> them. How do I go about telling them she will have to have 2 feeds

> at school and who do I see first, (principal, lady that does the

> IEP's etc.)? Will a para pro/teacher aide do the feed or a nurse?

> And where do they do them, not in the office I hope. I don't want

> her to go out of class to have it done all the time. It is

probably

> going to work out where she has one at the very beginning of lunch

> and the other at their afternoon snack. We have a pump and

gravity

> feed thing. I assume she will take a back pack and the pump to

> school and wear it during the feeds? Is this what anyone else

> does. Any input will help please.

>

> Tolbert

> Mom to Maddison 4 1/2 24lbs (for now), 38 inches gh, periactin,

> zantac,

>