Nutrition Support Team

Sometimes children can’t eat well on their own. There are lots of reasons children can struggle with eating or taking in enough calories. Some children are only able to take small amounts of food, while others cannot eat or drink at all, and some need top-ups or extra calories to help them grow big and strong. There are doctors, nurses and dieticians at the hospital who can help. 

These children will need to meet a specialist team who will provide advice and support. This team includes a dietician who will ensure your child gets all the vitamins, minerals and energy to grow and develop correctly. Your child may meet a Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) at home who will check that their swallow is safe and help them to swallow if they are having difficulties. 

Sometimes children can need a feeding tube, and there are several different types of tubes. Some go from the nose down to the tummy (a Nasogastric Tube/NGT), and some go directly into the tummy (Button/ Gastrostomy/ PEG). 

If your child needs a feeding tube, they will meet a Specialist Nutrition Nurse who will talk in detail about the feeding tube and how it is inserted. The nurse will also meet parents and carers to teach them how to care for the tube and look after all the equipment. They can supply your child with reading books, answer any questions and can visit your child's school if it helps. Your child will receive lots of information and have time to ask lots of questions and be supported whilst the tube is inserted and for as long as your child has the tube. 

Your child will meet the team in clinics, on the wards, and sometimes in your home. If at any time you or your child need to speak to the Specialist Nutrition Nurse, you will have their telephone number so that you can call for any advice you might need. 

The Specialist Nutrition Nurse works closely with the Community Children’s Nurses to prevent and treat any tube-related problems and support your child with their equipment and feed deliveries whilst at home.