The transition from tube to oral feeding in infancy [Sondenentwöhnung in der frühen kindheit]

Abstract

Background. The common characteristic of all infants in our study was the aversive experience of repeated oral traumatization which resulted in the necessity of long term tube feeding. In neonates with congenital anomalies of the mouth, palate, bowl and gut, operative measures are needed postpartum to allow later oral feeding. Some infants become dependant of tube feeding without antecedent organic manipulation. Results and discussion. This paper highlights our experience of weaning 62 infants from the tube under the age of three years, who had been tube fed entirely over a period longer than 3 months. The multidisciplinary cooperation between all the involved teams proved to be essential. The task of transition from tube to oral feeding and weaning the infants, was successful in all cases. We highlight the necessity of primary weightloss of up to 13% of the bodyweight in the process of weaning, before the transition to a selfregulated hunger-satiation cycle is reestablished.