Dietary Restrictions With a Feeding Tube
- Commercially produced food supplements, prepared to provide a high nutritional meal, may be delivered by feeding tubes. The various types of tubes allow for flexibility in diet.
Foods that are prepared at home must be pureed in order to slide through the tube. Red meats and heavy syrups and gravies are prohibited. A mild diet is usually maintained to give the patient's gastrointestinal system time to relax and not be overworked.
Restrictions with the patient's activity can influence the dietary assistance given. An active patient may need higher caloric intake than a patient who is not ambulatory. - Food restrictions may include allergies, calories, nutritional need and sugar intake. Diabetics diets must not include carbohydrates and patients with chronic illness such as Crohn's disease must be fed according to their dietary tolerance.
- Patients with gastropareis (delayed emptying) are restricted from high fat and fiber diets. This should be kept in mind for caretakers who administer tube feedings at home. The fat is more tolerated in ice cream and liquid nutritional supplements.
Fiber is less tolerated and can cause abdominal distress. Patients are also restricted from other foods that aggravate their condition. Dietary supplements should be checked for fat and fiber content before use in gastropareis patients.
