Second opinion gives Tim a second chance for motility health

Tim’s first few weeks of life were hard, on both him and his parents. Born with various medical concerns, including a lack of the sucking and swallowing reflex—the instinctual way babies know how to suck and swallow milk—he had a hard time getting all the nutrients he needed. To help him thrive he was fitted with a gastric feeding tube (G-tube) that delivered formula directly to his stomach. But even with his tube, Tim still had problems with severe reflux. It puzzled his local doctors and pained his parents who were at a loss as to how they could comfort their son. “It’s heartbreaking to have a child in pain and not be able to do anything,” says Tim’s mother Stephanie. “You feel so powerless.” A step backwards A year went by and Tim was growing at a typical rate, but his ability to hold down food went from bad to worse. Around 14 months his vomiting became serious—suddenly he couldn’t take more than a teaspoon of water without spitting it up. His parents took him to see a gastrointestinal specialist in their area, but no matter how many tests Tim went through nothing seemed to explain his condition. The family spent the next month in a hospital where Tim underwent several tests and surgeries. Ultimately, his G-tube was replaced with a G-J tube, which bypasses the stomach and deposits formula directly into the small intestine. It was hoped that a new feeding method would prevent Tim’s vomiting and allow his parents t...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts Boston Children's Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Center G-J tube G-tube intussusception motility issues Samuel Nurko Source Type: news