Special features for babies
A stomach tube is usually used for babies who do not drink on their own for a long period of time. However, unlike in adults, the tube is not inserted through the baby’s mouth as often. Rather, it is largely inserted through one of the two nostrils, which is why the probe is also called a nasogastric tube.
The stomach tube also has to be changed more often than in adults in order to minimize side effects. If this is not done, infections occur more frequently. In general, care should be taken to ensure that a tube is always in place as long as the baby cannot drink on its own.
Nevertheless, the time in which a stomach tube is placed is a burden for the child. In order to keep this time as short as possible, however, an attempt should always be made when changing the probe to see if the baby can drink. This is important because a lying stomach tube often prevents the baby from drinking. These attempts to change the feeding tube often make it possible to shorten the time required to insert a feeding tube considerably.
Care
A stomach tube that has already been inserted requires special care in order to survive the period of use as long as possible and without damage. Even if a normal stomach tube is not to be used for more than two weeks, complications can still occur in this short time. In order to avoid a blockage of the tube, the probe should be rinsed with water or another clear liquid after each use.
If this is not done, some probes may very quickly become unusable. Too tight attachment of the stomach tube to the surface of the body can also cause problems. This can lead to inflammation and destroyed tissue over a longer period of time due to the high pressure.Therefore the probe should not be fixed too tightly and should be checked more often.
With a PEG probe, there is also the risk that it will grow into the tissue with its attachment. An attempt is made to prevent this by loosening and moving it several times a week. Due to the high invasiveness with the accompanying injury to the skin, infections can also occur in the area where the probe enters the body. The edges of the wound should be cleaned and disinfected more often to prevent infection.
