Abstract
Most of the children seen by specialists in neonatalogy, neuropaediatrics or neurosurgery do not have any problems in starting with oral feeding after a period of tube feeding lasting between 15 and 20 days. Children who have been tube fed for a longer period, however, can find it very difficult or even impossible to re-establish oral feeding when they have sufficiently recovered from their underlying problem. To cope with this situation we propose a procedure based on the after-entation or re-afferentation of the oropharyngeal cavity by sensory stimulations and by re-establishment of the biological clock (circadian rhythm) by applying these stimulations during tube feeding at regular hours. In 19 children who showed difficulties oral feeding became possible a short time after such a procedure had been applied. If the principles of swallowing neurophysiology and the biological rhythm are respected, this procedure, which also involves a contribution from the family, leads to quicker oral feeding and shorter stay in hospital.
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Senez, C., Guys, J.M., Mancini, J. et al. Weaning children from tube to oral feeding. Child's Nerv Syst 12, 590–594 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261653
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261653