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Tube Weaning Clinic
- Location:
- 170 Elizabeth St., Main Floor, Paediatric Consult Clinic 7
- Phone:
- 416-813-5839
- Email:
- tube.weaning@sickkids.ca
- Fax:
- 416-813-8418
About the Clinic
The Enteral (Feeding) Tube Weaning Clinic at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is a service provided through Paediatric Consultation Clinic as part of the G Tube Feeding Program.
The clinic is located on the main floor, Clinic 7, and is held on Thursdays.
Our goal
Support children and youth living with enteral tubes (including nasogastric, gastrostomy and gastro-jejunal tubes) and their families in achieving goals around healthy oral eating, including minimizing tube dependence and supporting weaning off feeding tubes.
Pre-appointment Instructions
What to bring
- Parents should come to clinic with a completed 3-day Food Record (PDF).
- If your visit is linked to a visit with an occupational therapist (you will be informed if this is happening), then please bring small samples of the drink(s) and food(s) (if applicable) that your child will accept along with the normal tools you use for feeding them (e.g., bottles, sippy cups, utensils, other tools).
- If your clinic visit is happening virtually, please have your child’s latest height (on a length board) and weight (naked weight required for babies and infants) and the date it was obtained. Learn how to accurately measure your child's height and weight at home.
MyChart
The Tube Weaning Clinic uses MyChart and Remote Care Monitoring to support children and their families who are weaning off their enteral tubes. Consider signing up for MyChart prior to your first clinic appointment.
What to Expect During Your Visit
The first clinic visit with the Enteral Tube Weaning Team is held in person and typically takes 1.5 hours. You will be asked about your child’s medical, nutritional and feeding skill history as well as the psychosocial impact of your child’s feeding challenges. This will help us understand if we can safely and effectively increase oral feeding and wean off the feeding tube.
At the end of the visit, we will discuss if your child and family are ready for tube weaning. If tube weaning is started, we will discuss some of the benefits and risks, which may include weight loss, dehydration, constipation and low blood sugar. We will provide guidance on what you can do to keep your child safe.
Follow-up visits are generally booked for 30 minutes. Each of these visits will review your child’s progress, safety, and follow their weight and height. Based on your child’s progress, there will be an updated plan for ongoing weaning or minimizing tube dependence. Follow-up visits may be in person or virtual depending on your child and family’s needs.
Children who are on a tube weaning program can reach out to our team with any non-urgent tube-weaning related questions by emailing tube.weaning@sickkids.ca
For Health-care Providers
All patients require a referral to the Tube Weaning Clinic.
- Access the "EpicCare Link" through eCHN. Learn more about registering for EpicCare Link on Refer a Patient.
- Select "Paediatric Medicine Consultation".
- Select "Tube Weaning Clinic".
Note: Fax referrals are not accepted.
Meet the Tube Weaning Team
Coming to a clinic appointment
It's important to come prepared and be on time for a clinic appointment. Visit Coming for Clinic Appointments to read appointment guidelines that are applicable for most clinical appointments at SickKids.
You’ll find information on how to prepare and what to bring, what to do if you/your child are sick before your appointment or you need to cancel, and important things to know about the SickKids philosophy.