Health Topics

• Clean work area
   

• Soap and water
• Clean gauze pads
• Scissors
• Tape
• Syringe for flushing
• Water for flushing

• Wash your hands with soap and water.
• Remove old dressing. Look at the area where the tube enters the skin. Check for redness, swelling, any drainage or excess skin growing around the tube. A small amount of clear tan drainage can be normal.
• Wash skin around the tube with soap and warm water. Clean around g-tube to remove any drainage and / or crusting. Clean around suture gently. Dry skin thoroughly. The site should be kept clean and dry.
• Redress as you have been instructed by your doctor or nurse. Anchor the end of the tube by putting a piece of tape around the tube and pinning it to a folded piece of tape on his / her stomach or pin it to his / her diaper or T-shirt. Onesies or tubular dressings also help safely secure the tube.
• Do not use ointments around tube site unless directed by your child's doctor or nurse. 

It is important to flush your child's g-tube before and after any tube feedings, before and after any medications or at least every eight hours.

Usually 3-10 ml of water will clear the tube; however, your doctor or nurse will tell you the amount to give your child.

• Liquid medications may be injected directly into the tube after the tube has been flushed.
• For pills first check with your doctor or pharmacist before crushing any medications. Crush the medicines into a powder and mix with enough water to make a liquid (1-10 ml).
• For capsules, first check with your doctor or pharmacist before opening the capsule. Open and dissolve powder with enough water to make a liquid (1-10 ml).
• Remember: do not mix medicines unless directed by your health care team.

• You may need to vent your child's tube to remove excess air or fluid in your child's stomach. It can be done 2 different ways. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if this is needed.
• Open the G-tube port and attach to a drainage device (such as a mucous trap or drainage bag). You may be asked to measure and record the amount of drainage.
• Your physician may instruct you to vent the g-tube using a catheter-tip syringe and aspirating the excess air or gastric fluid from stomach. This is used for bloating, distension or gagging. You may be asked to measure and record any drainage and frequency.

• Do not allow your child to pull on the tube. One piece, snap T-shirt works best for infants and toddlers. Keep the tube secured beneath the child's clothing.

• It is important that you know what type and size tube your child has. Be sure to check with your doctor or nurse to get this information.
• Discuss ways to develop oral motor skills for your child with your doctor.
• Always call your doctor or nurse if you have questions or problems.