The internet can be a wonderful place to find all sorts of resources, including finding information on successful tube weaning programs. Of course, this is a job that ought to be supervised by a doctor, and the web can also be a place to find expert consultation. Visit an authoritative site that gives excellent advice to caregivers about tube weaning programs and maybe find some experts to talk to.
A tube weaning program varies by the case, but generally follows the recipe of first letting the patient drink nourishment from a can or cup in order to get used to swallowing. The esophagus of a tube-fed person might be weak after weeks or months of not being properly fed. Simply swallowing might be a challenge when a person first gets off their tube.
Similarly, there might be a need to learn to use the jaws again. Jaw muscles should not be completely atrophied, but they might be weak if a person was also unable to talk or otherwise use them. Attempting to chew anything tough or hard might be virtually impossible, so a weaning program typically includes food in the form of a paste before moving to softer cooked foods.
Graduating to tougher solid foods such as steak and raw vegetables can take quite a bit of time, especially if the original problem was some sort of damage to the mouth. Usually, there is a recommended process of how to cook many foods to be softer. As an example, any type of red meat can be made much more tender using a pressure cooker. Most food out of a can tends to be soft, although home-cooked veggies can be the healthiest.
It is possible to buy products specifically for tube weaning, such as cans of adult mashed food that vaguely resemble baby food. Since adults need much larger portions, it is often easiest to learn how to cook and mash a variety of foods at home. Sweet potatoes are famous when mashed, and this is just one example.
Canned food designed specifically for tube weaning is expensive, although insurance might cover for it at first. The director of the tube weaning program will likely make a lot of recommendations, and the most important thing is determining what substances the patient’s stomach can handle as well as how firm the food that can be chewed and swallowed. It is not just the jaw that must get used to solid food but also the intestines.