Taking Care of Your Child's Gastrostomy Tube (G-Tube)

Taking Care of Your Child's Gastrostomy Tube (G-Tube). Tara Spruill, RN, BSN - Nemours Children's Clinic, Jacksonville discusses gastrostomy tube or g-tube education. A g-tube is a silicone tube that's placed in your child's abdomen through a hole in the stomach made by the doctor. Your child probably has a g-tube because they are unable to eat enough food by mouth to supply a good amount of calories for their body to grow at a normal rate. There are many different types of g-tubes. Our clinic uses buttons. A button is a small tube that lies close to your child's skin on the outside, and has a removable extension tube that is used form feeding, administering medications and venting or burping your child. One of the most common questions that parents have about g-tubes is how to take care of the skin around the g-tube. It's important to keep the skin clean and dry and to look for signs of redness and irritation after each feeding. Your routine should be simple, and the less products you use the better. Take 3 cotton swabs with plain soap and water. Dip the first cotton swab in the soap and water. Start underneath the g-tube all the way around, and work your way out. Dip the second swab in plain water and with the same motion, start underneath the g-tube all the way around and work your way out. The third swab is a dry one. Using the same motion, start underneath the g-tube and work your way out. It's important to turn the g-tube half a turn after each feeding to prevent it from indenting into the skin, and causing redness and irritation. As your child grows, and their weight fluctuates their g-tube may need to be longer. If your child's tube is too snug or too loose give the surgery center a call, and schedule a g-tube change. It's an exciting time when your child's doctor tells you that they no longer need their g-tube because they are able to take enough food by mouth. After the tube is removed the hole should close on its own. We recommend that you use a barrier cream and a bandage for the first 48 hours. If you notice that after 4-6 weeks that the hole has not closed, it may need to be done surgically.