Lifespan & Feeding Tubes

[Guest guest]

Annette,

What I was told (and who knows if this doctor was at all correct) but what I

was told was that the more " retarded " a child is the shorter his lifespan

is. Now we have members in the lissencephaly loop who will proved this

statement VERY wrong. It all depends on seizures, overall health, and well

just the child. I would ask your GI doctor..but I would think the feeding

tube would make your son stronger because he is getting the nutritional

building blocks that I worry Teddy is not getting.

Kim

Re: feeding tubes - our story (long)

I think the choice you made for Hannah was great. I think I would of done

the same thing if I were in your place. My situation was different. Jordan

was born not knowing how to suck or swallow. He also had no gag reflux so he

couldn't protect his airway. At a month old when he had surgery for GE

Reflux which they did a nissen fundalplication, they placed his g-tube at

the same time. What worries me now is that I have read that children with

brain disorders and have g-tubes, their lifespan is not as long as a child

that has a brain disorder and eats by mouth. I don't know if this is true. I

am going to ask his GI doctor tomorrow. It is kind of scary to find out.

Jordan is completely dependent of the g-tube and we are teaching him to eat

by mouth. I hope that one day Jordan will be off the g-tube especially if

what I read was true. I don't want to scare or worry anyone, all I want to

know if anyone has heard about this too please let me know or ask your

doctors.

Annette mother to Jordan