Structured Tube Weaning Using the Hunger Provocation Method in Infants with Single Ventricle Heart Defects: A Multicenter Study.

Despite improvement in hemodynamics, children with single ventricle heart disease remain on feeding tubes long after stage 2 palliation (S2P). Use of a hunger provocation method in a multidisciplinary team setting has been successful at weaning these children from feeding tubes. The objective of this study is to describe patient characteristics and outcomes in the single ventricle population who underwent a formal tube weaning process using a standardized hunger provocation method.

Assessment and management of feeding difficulties for infants with complex CHD.

Early surgical intervention in infants with complex CHD results in significant disruptions to their respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems, which are all instrumental to the development of safe and efficient oral feeding skills. Standardised assessments or treatment protocols are not currently available for this unique population, requiring the clinician to rely on knowledge based on neonatal literature. Clinicians need to be skilled at evaluating and analysing these systems to develop an appropriate treatment plan to improve oral feeding skill and safety, while considering post-operative recovery in the infant with complex CHD.

Disruptions in the development of feeding for infants with congenital heart disease.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect for infants born in the United States, with approximately 36,000 affected infants born annually. While mortality rates for children with CHD have significantly declined, there is a growing population of individuals with CHD living into adulthood prompting the need to optimise long-term development and quality of life. For infants with CHD, pre- and post-surgery, there is an increased risk of developmental challenges and feeding difficulties.