How do ng tubes work

Liquid food given through the NG tube is digested the same as food eaten normally. The NG tube may look uncomfortable. But it should not be uncomfortable for your child. An NG tube is only meant to be used for a short time. If your healthcare provider feels your child may need a more long-term solution, there are other kinds of tubes. These can be put directly into the stomach or part of the small intestine with a small surgery.

Ask for phone numbers to call if you need help. Write all of these phone numbers below. The tube will be first inserted in the hospital. You may find that it is easier to care for than you think. Ask your child's healthcare provider how often the NG tube needs to be replaced. You will be shown how to do this before your child is discharged from the hospital. Once this tube is in place, they can use it to give you food and medicine.

They can also use it to remove things from your stomach, such as toxic substances or a sample of your stomach contents. Your doctor or nurse can give you food and medicine through an NG tube.

They can also apply suction to it, allowing them to remove contents from your stomach. For example, your doctor may use NG intubation to help treat accidental poisoning or drug overdose. For instance, they may administer activated charcoal through your NG tube to help absorb the harmful substance. This can help lower your chances of a severe reaction.

An NG tube insertion typically occurs in either a hospital or your home. Before they insert the tube, they will apply some lubrication to it and likely some numbing medication as well. They will likely ask you to bend your head, neck, and body at various angles as they thread the tube through your nostril, down your esophagus, and into your stomach. These movements can help ease the tube into position with minimal discomfort.

They may also ask you to swallow or take small sips of water when the tube reaches your esophagus to help it slide into your stomach. Once your NG tube is in place, your healthcare provider will take steps to check its placement. For example, they might try to draw fluid out of your stomach. Or they might insert air through the tube, while listening to your stomach with a stethoscope. To keep your NG tube in place, your care provider will likely secure it to your face with a piece of tape.

They can reposition it if it feels uncomfortable. NG intubation can also help your doctor treat an intestinal obstruction in ways that are less invasive than intestinal surgery. They can also use it to collect a sample of your stomach contents for analysis, which can help them diagnose certain conditions. A nasogastric nay-zo-gas-tric tube NGT is a thin, soft tube that is passed through your child's nostril, down the back of their throat, through the oesophagus food pipe and into their stomach.

Inserting the tube is usually a short procedure, and the tube will go down easily if your child is relaxed. There are ways you can help your child to remain calm, including distraction and relaxation techniques. Generally, a child will be given an NGT so that specially prepared liquid food or fluids can be passed down the tube. The reasons your child might need an NGT for feeding include:. Even though having an NGT put in is a short procedure and does not hurt, it is not very pleasant.

Paracetamol or other medicines for pain relief will not stop the discomfort. Knowing what will happen during the procedure will help make it easier for you and your child. The following tips may help both you and your child manage the procedure better:. For more tips, see our fact sheet Reducing your child's discomfort during procedures. Once it has been inserted, the NGT is usually held in place by being gently taped to the side of your child's face, near the nostril. The most important aspect of caring for an NGT at home is checking that it is in the correct position i.

Your treating team will teach you how to do this. The NGT will be firmly secured with tape, to the side of your child's face, to reduce the risk of them pulling it out. It can be secured behind their neck so that it doesn't dangle in front of them.

Occasionally, children will have mittens put on, so that they can't grab at the tube and risk dislodging it. If my child needs to have an NGT for a long time, are there any risks or side effects I should know about? Some children with long-term NGTs can develop an aversion to eating food and drinking fluids orally. Your child can work with a speech therapist to relearn these skills and ensure safe, enjoyable eating and drinking.