title: Blended food for enteral feeding via a gastrostomy.
abstract: A blended diet for enteral nutrition is defined as home-made everyday food blended to a smooth 'single cream' consistency. At present, blended food is not recommended as a first choice. However, the wishes of parents who prefer to use blended food for their child need to be respected, and hospice policy for Children's Hospice South West is to replicate home conditions as far as possible. Therefore guidelines have been created for use of a blended diet. However, benefits in physical and emotional health need to be balanced against risks of tube blockage, contamination and digestive upsets.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospice South West in Devon.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards; D005502:Food / Q000592:standards; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000451:nursing*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006738:Hospices / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D000072222:Nurses, Pediatric; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Blended food; children’s nursing; digestive system; enteral feeding; gastrostomy; hospices; paediatrics; palliative care; risk assessment