Ashlynn G, one of St. Mary’s Hospital for Children’s nursery inpatients, was born full-term and sent home from the nursery without concerns about feeding. After being fed by bottle and formula, Ashlynn began to show signs of severe reflux and choking when being fed. Then she began to get sick. When Ashlynn was five weeks old she was fitted with nasogastric intubation, or NG tube, which is a tube through the nose that goes past the throat and into the stomach. Her parents knew that Ashlynn needed to receive food and understood the reason for her supplemental nutrition.
After consultations with St. Mary’s Feeding Therapists, Ashlynn’s parents are comfortable with her need for a NG tube and the possibility of a gastric tube (G-tube or GT). A GT tube is a tube inserted through the belly that will bring nutrition directly to Ashlynn’s stomach. Her parents realize that it can be a temporary solution and that at some point children can grow out of one and begin eating by mouth.
With St. Mary’s support and counseling, Ashlynn’s parents feel that it’s not as scary as you may think it is. They are taking the situation with Ashlynn one day at a time.
