Parent-reported effects of gastrostomy tube placement.

BACKGROUND

For children with major feeding problems and their parents, meals may be unpleasant. We aimed to evaluate how insertion of a gastrostomy tube influenced parent-child communication and satisfaction during meals, as well as duration of meals, oral intake, vomiting, and growth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Children admitted for a gastrostomy tube placement were included. Age, sex, diagnosis, and preoperative nasogastric tube were registered. Weight, height, oral feeding, duration of meals, and vomiting were assessed preoperatively and 6 and 18 months postoperatively. We used a numeric rating scale to assess parent-reported parental stress, child satisfaction, parent satisfaction, and parent-child communication during meals at all 3 time points.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight children were included: 33 boys and 25 girls. Median age was 1.7 years (range, 0.5-14.7 years). Thirty-nine were neurologically impaired, and 44 had a nasogastric tube for a median of 7.5 months (range, 0.5-28 months) preoperatively. Child satisfaction (P = .001), parent satisfaction (P = .006), and parent-child communication (P = .026) during meals were significantly improved 18 months after receiving a gastrostomy tube. Vomiting was reduced in 42%, oral intake increased in 49%, and weight-for-height percentile increased in 55% of the children.

CONCLUSIONS

In children with major feeding problems, a gastrostomy tube improved parent-child communication and satisfaction during meals. Furthermore, oral intake was increased, and vomiting was reduced. Growth improved in around half of the children.