Nutrition for Babies and Young Children with chILD
For Babies and Children Under 5
Nutrition is very important for children with chILD. When your child grows, their lungs grow too.
Babies and young children with lung disease can have trouble growing and gaining weight. This is because they may use more energy (calories) to breathe. They usually need to eat more calories than other kids without lung disease. Your medical team may include a dietitian who can help make sure your child is eating what they need to grow.
For babies, breast milk is the best thing to feed them if you can. Usually babies with chILD need more calories than just breast milk. If your baby is not growing well with breast milk alone, your medical team may have you add in formula to increase calories.
Sometimes breast milk isn’t an option — it is okay when babies just need formula. The important thing is making sure your baby has enough calories to grow.
As your child gets older and starts eating solid foods, your doctor and dietitian will help you choose foods to help your child grow.
Children with lung disease can also have problems with acid reflux disease (GERD) and gastrointestinal dysmotility (trouble moving the food through the gastrointestinal system). This might cause belly aches and spit-ups or vomiting. Your child’s care team may have them see a gastroenterologist (stomach doctor) to help with these symptoms.
When babies and young children are breathing fast, it can be hard to swallow safely. Trouble swallowing is called dysphagia. This can lead to aspiration — when liquid or food goes into the lungs instead of the swallowing tube (esophagus). Your medical team may order a swallowing test to check this. If your child is having trouble swallowing, a speech therapist can help make changes for safe eating. Usually, this problem gets better with feeding therapy, time, and when breathing gets better.
Some children need to use a feeding tube to make sure they grow safely. They might need a feeding tube if:
The decision to have a feeding tube can be hard for parents. There are different types of feeding tubes. The names of the tubes are based on how they enter the body and where the feeds go. Your child’s medical team can help decide the best tube type for your child.
| Tube Type | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Nasogastric tube (NG tube) | Placed through the nose and feeds into the stomach. Temporary — will need to be changed at times. |
| Nasojejunal tube (NJ tube) | Placed through the nose but guided past the stomach and into the upper small intestine (jejunum). Temporary — will need to be changed at times. |
| Gastrostomy tube (G tube) | Placed through the abdominal wall and into the stomach. |
| Gastrostomy-Jejunostomy (GJ tube) | Placed through the stomach but guided past it into the jejunum. Has two ports — one to the stomach and one to the jejunum. |
| Jejunostomy (J-tube) | Placed through the abdominal wall straight into the jejunum. |
There are many ways to use feeding tubes. Some children get feeds through the tube all at the same time (like a meal or snack). Other children get feeds through the tube slowly over a longer period (like while sleeping at night).
The feed (or formula) is poured into a feeding bag, travels through the infusion tubing, and enters the body. You can adjust how quickly or slowly your child gets the feed. When the feed is finished, your child can go back to their play. Children with tubes can take baths, showers, and swim. Make sure to dry the skin around the tube. If your child uses a dressing and it gets wet, replace it with a new, dry one.
Your child’s care team will teach you:
Keep in mind that as children grow and gain weight, they may need a larger size tube and a new feeding schedule.
Kids tend to adjust quickly to feeding tubes. With a little practice, you will too!
Aspiration — When food or liquid goes into the lungs instead of down the esophagus (swallowing tube). Can cause lung irritation or infection.
Dietitian — A nutrition specialist who can help design a meal plan to make sure your child gets enough calories and nutrients to grow.
Dysphagia — Trouble swallowing. In young children with lung disease, fast breathing can make it hard to swallow safely.
Gastroenterologist — A doctor who specializes in the digestive system, including the stomach and intestines.
GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) — A condition where stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus, causing discomfort. Common in children with lung disease.
Gastrointestinal dysmotility — When the muscles of the digestive system don’t move food through the body normally.
G tube (Gastrostomy tube) — A feeding tube placed through the abdominal wall directly into the stomach. Used for longer-term tube feeding.
GJ tube (Gastrostomy-Jejunostomy tube) — A feeding tube that passes through the stomach and into the jejunum (upper small intestine). Has two openings.
J-tube (Jejunostomy tube) — A feeding tube placed directly into the jejunum through the abdominal wall.
Jejunum — The upper part of the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed.
NG tube (Nasogastric tube) — A temporary feeding tube inserted through the nose and into the stomach.
NJ tube (Nasojejunal tube) — A temporary feeding tube inserted through the nose and guided into the jejunum, bypassing the stomach.
Speech therapist — A specialist who evaluates and treats swallowing problems, among other conditions. Can help children with dysphagia eat more safely.
This information is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the medical advice of your child’s healthcare provider.
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The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
