Educational needs for parents and caregivers caring for children with PEG tube

Abstract

Neurologically impaired children often suffer immobility or muscular weakness that impair their ability to eat and swallow, which in the long run makes them susceptible to malnutrition. Enteral nutrition is suggested to avoid malnutrition and as preventive measurement for aspiration. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in specific allows for long term nourishment and is more often being used for the nutritional management of neurological impaired children. The parents and caregivers of these children carry the responsibility to care for them taking into account the implications of the PEG tube. The aim of this study is to determine what are the key areas of pediatric percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube care that parents and care givers should be aware of. A literature review was conducted were data was retrieved from Cinahl Plus and PubMed data bases. Six articles were reviewed and analyzed using an inductive content analysis approach. Four educational themes were identified: Availability to professional support, Receiving practical training, Prevention of complications and Medication administration. In conclusion the education of parents and caregivers is currently at a suboptimal level. Reinforcement of professional support available to these families is much needed as well as a deeper and fuller training and education process that includes feeding and nutrition assessment, correct hygienic practices for manipulating and cleaning the tube and stoma, and medication administration by parents and caregivers.