Skip the page content navigation
if you do not require links to content sections within this page.
Page Content Navigation
Skip the main banner if you do not want to read it as the next section.
Page Banner
Skip the main content if you do not want to read it as the next section.
To comment first login or register.
Original topic post: Learning to eat again after treatment
posted: 03.09.2008
message: I am posting this message in hope that another parent can give me some advice on weaning your child off the gastrostomy peg. My son Samuel age 8 has had his feeding peg now since Jan07. He had his last chemo back in January and is doing very well, all things considered (following his diagnosis of a medullablastoma) He still has a very small amount of feed at night now and we anticipated him having the peg removed in the coming months. We have certainly gone through the hardest part of weaning but now he is back at school after the holidays I am concerned he will lose weight as I am not there with him to continuously remind him to eat and drink which is what he needs. His teachers try hard but this then puts him off school. The lack of nutrition however does effect his performance at school and physical ability aswell. Our dietician offers very basic advice and says it is just a very very slow process.
If anyone has a child you has gone through the horrendous journey of intense radiotherepy followed by 8 courses of chemo or a similiar treatment with the added complications of feeding pegs, I would love to hear from you and perhaps some positive feedback or may be some top tips on how I can make life a little less stressful for us all. Thank you for reading
Angie
Reply 1: for angelina
written by:
neaney
posted: 05.09.2008
message: hello,im in the process of weaning my 4 year old son off of the peg after 9 rounds of high risk chemo and he finished his radiotherapy last week.hes been eating little amounts during the day but had been on his overnight feed constantly since his peg was fitted.we managed to wean him from top up feeds of milk via a bolus recently but me in my wisdom decided last friday to take him off of his overnight feed to see how he woulod eat the following day,its taken 4 days of being off of his overnight feed but today and yesturday he has non stop eaten,he has really surprised me and my family by cocnstantly asking for food and hes trying different things.he has little nibbles of things,ive found if i take him shopping with me he picks up what he wants and even if it isnt that good for him i buy it as ive found he eats it.If he has a day where he hasnt eaten a great deal i still sit him at the table when everyone is eating and he has a top up of bolus,i do this in the hope that the smell of food etc will encourage him to eat even if its just a mouthful.I know the age groups are different but jamie was very reluctant to eat but it is slow and takes time,i do hope i have been of some use to you.janine
Reply 2: angelina
written by:
fiona75
posted: 16.09.2008
message: hello, my 10 yer old daughter was diagnosed with medullablastoma oct 2006, she had surgery ,8 weeks of radiotheraphy and a year of intense chemo... she also stopped eating during her chemo but had an ng tube, she finished treatment jan this year, a few months later we stopped the feeds and very slowly she started eating, it is still a struggle but we r getting there.. at first i just gave her to eat what ever she asked for as was just so happy to see her eat again,, but now have to be abit more strict which is hard.. she has very limited taste buds which i dont know when or ever will change . hope have been some help.. fiona
CLIC Sargent is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Back to For parents and family