Teaching Students with Feeding Tubes: What You Need To Know

If you work in a special education class or a day habilitation setting, more than likely you are teaching a student or an individual with complex needs including the use of a feeding tube.

February 8-12 is recognized as Feeding Tube Awareness Month which is a great opportunity to provide information on tube feeding in an educational setting.  According to the Tube Feeding Awareness Foundation, there are over 300 conditions that require students and individuals to receive nutritional support through tube feeding.

What is a feeding tube?

A feeding tube is a device that is inserted in the stomach wall and goes directly into the stomach. It bypasses chewing and swallowing in a student or individual who no longer has the ability to safely eat or drink. This allows for students and individuals to receive adequate nutritional support.

A feeding tube is also used for students and adults who cannot take in enough food by mouth. Feeding tubes can be temporary or permanent .

Reasons to use a feeding tube
The student or individual may have a swallowing disorder or dysphasia. This means there is an increase risk for the student or individual to aspirate their foods or liquids into their lungs. Causes of swallowing problems include low-muscle tone, brain injury, genetic conditions, sensory issues, neurological conditions, cleft lip/palate and birth defects of the esophagus or stomach.
Types of Feeding Tubes

Gatro Feeding Tube

The gastrostomy tube (G tube) is placed through the skin into the stomach. The stomach and the skin usually heal in 5-7 days. This type of tube is generally used in people with developmental disabilities for long term feeding.

Nasogastric Feeding Tube

The nasogastric (NG tube)  is inserted through the nose, into the swallowing tube and into the stomach. The NG tube is typically used in the hospital to drain fluid from the stomach for short term tube feeding.

Neurological and Genetic Conditions Requiring Tube Feeding

Some students and individuals with neurological and genetic conditions often require tube feeding due to gastrointestinal issues including constipation, reflux, and abnormal food-related behaviors. It For example, it is estimate that 11% of children with cerebral palsy use a feeding tube due to difficulty with eating, swallowing, and drinking.

The following are different types of neurological or genetic conditions that may require the use of a feeding tube.

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

Angelman Syndrome

Aspiration

Cerebral Palsy

CDKL5 Disorder

Cornelia de Lange

Cri Du Chat Syndrome

Down Syndrome

Dravet Syndrome

Dysphasia

Edwards Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fragile X Syndrome

Hydrocephalus

Lennox-Gestaut Syndrome

Microcephaly

Ohtahara Syndrome

PPD- Not Otherwise Specified

Turner Syndrome

Trisomy 18

Spastic Diplegia

Traumatic Brain Injury

West Syndrome

Williams Syndrome

The following are articles on IEP and Accommodations:

IEP/Accommodations

Going to school with a feeding tube- http://www.tubefed.com

Accommodations and supports for children with pediatric feeding disorders- Kids First Collaborative

School-based accommodations and supports– Feeding Matters

Tube feeding at school: 8 tips to prepare your child and school staff– Shield Healthcare

Signs and Symptoms of Issues related to a g-tube

Complications due to tube feeding may include:

  • constipation
  • dehydration
  • diarrhea
  • infections
  • nausea/vomiting

Aspiration

Aspiration can be caused by:

  • reflux of stomach contents up into the throat
  • weak cough, or gag reflux
  • the feeding tube is not in place
  • delayed stomach emptying
  • The head is not raised properly.

Students should be observed for aspiration during feeding. The following are signs and symptoms of aspiration:

  1. Choking or coughing while feeding
  2. Stopping breathing while feeding
  3. Faster breathing while feeding
  4. Increased blood pressure, heart rate and decreased oxygen saturation.

The following are articles on signs and symptoms of aspiration during feeding

Aspiration in Children

How to Prevent Aspiration

Life with Aspiration and a Feeding Tube

Pediatric Aspiration Syndromes

Tube Feeding Aspiration

Resources

Book Review: My Belly Has Two Buttons: A Tubie Story

Tube Feeding Awareness Foundation

Thanksgiving and Mealtime Precautions

mealtime_thanksgiving_logo

Thanksgiving is the day set aside in the United States and Canada as a day of pausing to reflect all that we are thankful for by connecting with friends and family over good food. It is also the day of taking special precautions when serving people with developmental disabilities.

Aspiration is a huge risk during the holiday season. Factors that place people at risk for aspiration includes the following:

  • Being fed by someone else
  • Poor chewing or swallowing skills
  • Weak or absent coughing/gagging reflexes which is common in people with cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy
  • Eating to quickly
  • Inappropriate fluid consistency
  • Inappropriate food texture

For children and adults with autism, Thanksgiving may be a challenge for a variety of reasons:

  • Sensory and emotional overload with large groups
  • Picky eaters
  • Difficulty with various textures of food

To help you mange Thanksgiving with ease, click on the articles below:

5 simple steps to hosting an autism-friendly Thanksgiving

8 tips for managing Thanksgiving with children with autism

10 genius ways to help your autistic picky eater to eat this Thanksgiving

Autism and Picky Eating

Autism and Thanksgiving: How to cope with the feasting and hubbub

Feeding kids with sensory processing disorders

Preparing for Thanksgiving on the autism spectrum

Swallowing problems? What to do about Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving dinner ideas for speech therapy activities

Tips for Navigating Thanksgiving on the Spectrum

 

Updated 08/26/2020

Aspiration Precautions

Children and adults with developmental disabilities often face challenges with eating, drinking and swallowing disorders than the general population. It is estimated that adults with intellectual disabilities require support from caregivers during mealtime. It is common among people who have a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, physical  disability and muscular dystrophy.

Dysphasia is a medical term used to describe any person having difficulty swallowing foods and liquids taking  more energy and time to move food from the mouth to the stomach. Signs of dysphasia may include:

  • Drooling
  • Food or liquid remaining in the oral cavity after swallowing
  • Complaints of pain when swallowing
  • Coughing during or right after eating or drinking
  • Extra time needed to chew or swallow
  • Reflux of food

Dysphasia can lead to aspiration. Aspiration is defined when food, fluid, or other foreign material gets into the trachea or lungs instead of going down the esophagus and into the stomach. when this occurs, the person is able to cough to get the food or fluid out of their lungs, in some cases especially with children and adults with disabilities may not be able to cough. This is known as Silent Aspiration.

A complication of aspiration is Pneumonia which is defined as inhaling food, saliva, and liquids into the lungs

According to the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities Health and safety Alert, factors that place people at risk for aspiration include:

  • Being fed by others
  • Weak or absent coughing, and/or gag reflexes, commonly seen in people with cerebral palsy.
  • food stuffing and rapid eating/drinking
  • Poor chewing or swallowing pills
  • GERD- the return of partially digested food or stomach contents to the esophagus
  • Providing liquids or food consistencies the person is not able to tolerate such as eating whole foods.
  • Seizures that may occur during eating and/or drinking.

How to recognize signs and symptoms of Aspiration:

  • Choking or coughing while eating or just after eating
  • Drooling while eating or just after eating
  • Eyes start to water
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fever 30 minutes after eating
Intervene immediate if there are signs of aspiration:
  • Stop feeding immediately
  • Keep the person in an upright position
  • Call 911 if the person has difficulty or stops breathing and no pulse
  • Start rescue breathing

Minimize aspiration from occurring by serving the appropriate food texture and liquid consistency. If you are not sure of the right consistency, check with your health care provider. The following are pictures of food consistencies.

Courtesy of OPWDD

Courtesy of OPWDD

Whole. Food is served as it is normally prepared; no changes are needed in
preparation or consistency

Courtesy of OPWDD

1 ” Pieces cut to size. Food is served as prepared and cut into 1-inch pieces
(about the width of a fork).

Courtesy of OPWDD

1/4 Pieces Cut to Size. Food is cut with a knife or a pizza cutter or placed in a food
processor and cut into ¼ -inch pieces (about the width of a #2 pencil)

Courtesy of OPWDD

Ground. Food must be prepared using a food processor or comparable equipment
until MOIST, COHESIVE AND NO LARGER THAN A GRAIN OF RICE, or relish
like pieces, similar to pickle relish. Ground food must always be moist. Ground meat
is moistened with a liquid either before or after being prepared in the food processor
and is ALWAYS served with a moistener such as broth, low fat sauce, gravy or
appropriate condiment. Hard, dry ground particles are easy to inhale and must be
avoided.

 

Courtesy of OPWDD

Pureed. Food must be prepared using a food processor or comparable equipment.
All foods are moistened and processed until smooth, achieving an applesauce-like or
pudding consistency. A spoon should NOT stand up in the food, but the consistency
should not be runny. Each food item is to be pureed separately, unless foods are
prepared in a mixture such as a soup, stew, casserole, or salad.

Aspiration Precautions

  • Make sure the person eats slowly and takes small bites of food
  •  Ensure the person takes small sips of liquids
  • Focus on the person’s swallowing
  • Make sure the person remains upright for a minimum of thirty minutes after eating

Cerebral Palsy and Co-occuring Disorders

Cerebral Palsy is defined as a group of disorders of movement and posture causing limitations due to abnormal development in the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many children and adults with cerebral palsy also had at least one co-occurring condition and in some cases more than one. for example, it is not unusual for and individual to have a diagnoses of cerebral palsy with a co-occurring condition of epilepsy and an intellectual disability and associative  issues with an eating disorder.

Understanding both co-occurring conditions and associative disorders is essential in order to develop an effective teaching strategy.

associative issues include aspiration, dysphagia, digestive issues, seizures, intellectual disability, sleep disorder, and speech impairments.

The following links and articles includes information that contain research studies, articles and practical information.

 

Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy– Cerebral Palsy Guidance

Cerebral Palsy and Seizures– Cerebral Palsy Guidance

Cerebral Palsy and Speech Therapy– Cerebral Palsy Group

Children with spastic cerebral palsy experience lower leg fatigue when walking study shows- Cerebral Palsy News Today

Common health problems associated with cerebral palsy- My Child Without Limits

Communication and swallowing issues for adults with cerebral palsy-EPI

Difficulties in swallowing and coughing in spastic cerebral palsy focus of study– Cerebral Palsy News Today

Digestive health tips for kids with cerebral palsy-Sarah Halstead

Gastrointestinal and nutritional issues in cerebral palsy-practicalgastro.ocom

How does cerebral palsy affect people?-Cerebral Palsy Alliance

Prevalence of cerebral palsy and intellectual disability among children- NCBI

Sleep disorders in kids with cerebral palsy often remain untreated study suggest– Cerebral Palsy News today

Sleep issues among children with cerebral palsy-CP-NET

Seizures in children with cerebral palsy and white matter injuries-Pediatrics

Understanding more about cerebral palsy and seizures– Murdoch Children’s Research Institute

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke