Some resources to think about include the free book for children from Mito Action (please donate to Mito Action a couple of dollars, they do great work for kids with Mitochondrial Disease). I have previously posted about g-tube feedings at school here.
Some ideas for awareness week might be:
- have your students in to speak about using a g-tube in a health class, scout troop or another setting
- do a lesson or series of lessons teaching your students communication and self-advocacy about their g-tube - practice communicating messages like, "my g-tube hurts", "I am feeling hungry.", "I feel full.", "My feeding pump has a problem.", and directions to instruct someone on giving a feeding or troubleshooting a feeding pump
- teach your students how a g-tube works, allow them to see and touch things like a mickey, extensions, gauze, cans of formula, bolus syringes, feeding pump backs
- have your students make posters or flyers for Feeding Tube Awareness Week
- have your students write or compose letters to people getting a tube for the first time
A while back I printed a list of g-tube friendly clothing and accessories. Here is an update:
- AMT - G-tube accessory to clamp the connection closed
- Bundie Baby - includes g-tube onesies and wraps and a g-tube wearing stuffed animal
- G2ube - cloth g-tube pads
- Logan's G-Tube Clothes - including special patches to make "Tummy Tunnels"
- My Button Buddies - cloth g-tube pads
- Snap-ez4life - cloth g-tube pads
- Special Clothes - will add g-tube pockets to special clothes
It is is of any help, I'm posting some tutorials for adapting clothing for g-tube access this week. Please let any of the moms in your rooms who sew know about this.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you spreading the word, Kate. Thanks!