NoTube - FAQ

FAQ

Questions

Answers

General

When is a tube weaning project completed successfully?

Tube weaning by netCoaching is considered to be successful if the child is able to sustain its weight entirely by oral intake one month after the last tube feed and is developing and thriving accordingly.

Is my child tube dependent?

More and more parents around the world are taking care of a child with a temporary feeding tube. Find out here, whether your child is considered feeding tube dependent.

I would like to register on your website. What are the steps?

  1. First of all you register with the name of your child, the contact data and a very short medical history.
  2. Our team then will send you an invoice about the assessment fee.
  3. After the assessment fee has arrived on our account, you will get a specific medical questionnaire. Please fill it out as exactly as possible. Our professionals will analyze it carefully and contact you if they have any further questions.
  4. Finally, the professionals will make an estimation on the question if your child is suitable and which treatment option we recommend.
  5. You decide for a treatment option and pay the fees for netCoaching or choose a date for out/inpatient treatment.
  6. netCoaching can be started immediately after the receipt of your treatment fees. In case you decided for onsite treatment in Graz, you will get an invoice by the financial department of the University hospital of Graz.

What does the assessment process for netCoaching or the In-/Outpatient program of the University Children’s Hospital in Graz include?

The assessment is based on:

  • The personal data submitted by the patient’s parents or caregivers
  • The data by the submitted medical questionnaire
  • Data of medical reports of prior treatments (non compulsory)
  • Videoanalysis in special cases of questionable suitability

The decision, whether netCoaching or the In-/Outpatient treatment at the University Children’s Hospital in Graz should be performed, will be assisted if necessary and is based on various considerations depending on the severity and specifity of the underlying medical condition, the need of a 24/7 support of nursing staff, the level of parental anxiety etc.

My child doesn’t have a tube, but eats not enough or only a very few range of foods. Can NoTube also help us?

Our service is also suitable for the so called Selecitve Eating Disorder (Picky Eating). Please register as everyone, but leave the Questions about tube-feeding free. Your treatment will be adapted on your individual needs.

I am from Austria. Do I also have to pay the assessment fee?

The NoTubeTeam is a spin-off LLC of the Medical University of Graz. As we get many requests from patients from all over the world, it is compulsory and necessary to assess whether the child is suitable for tube weaning and which preparation is needed before starting the treatment. The only exeption is, a direct transfer from another clinic to us.

Netcoaching

How long does netCoaching take?

Depending on the age of the child, the severity of the feeding disorder as well as the need for extensive psychological attention during the process, the duration of the netCoaching process varies from four to six weeks.

What our experts refuse to do in the Netcoaching

We do not

  • harm or starve children!
  • propose or allow any kind of force feeding!
  • use the parents presence as part of a behavioural reinforcement strategy

Are there any contraindications for Netcoaching?

NetCoaching can not be recommended for children with the following conditions:

  • Severe dysphagia
  • Unsafe swallowing function and the danger of aspiration
  • Instable medical conditions which will need constant permanent laboratory supervision during the weaning process.
  • States after recent operations within the mouth, palate, pharynx or bowels with a medical contraindication for the passage of food. In these cases oral feeding might be prohibited, but in most cases only for the first few days or weeks. Please ask your child’s physician if oral feeding would basically be allowed and recommended from his or her point of view.

Please contact us at support@notube.at if you are unsure, whether your child may have any of these conditions.

What can we not do?

  • We can not heal any underlying medical conditions by the method of Netcoaching which are independent of the tube feeding
  • Netcoaching can not substitute any necessary or routine medical examinations and the long-term surveillance of a child's growth
  • Any child not following the expected course of gradual weight gain within 2-4 months after tube weaning will need re-evaluation by us, your local doctors and the involved medical institutions.

When is the best time to wean my child via Netcoaching?

As early as possible! netCoaching should be performed in a stable phase and only when there is no medical reason to continue tube feeding (We evaluate this issue specifically during the assessment phase with you).

Do I need to change anything before I can start Netcoaching?

You can support your child in this important developmental challenge by providing time and care and having as many members of the family around; mother, father, siblings and grandparents. The point is to give maximal support on a systemic level so as to motivate the child to explore and express new feeding and eating skills and behaviours.

My doctor does not want my child to be weaned off the feeding tube. What should I do?

If she or he strongly advises you not to wean your child at all or not participate in this program and is NOT willing to see your child in case of any health concerns during the 4-6 weeks of the weaning process, then we strongly advise you to share these concerns and reasons of non-approval with us and ask her or him to directly contact us via support@notube.at. We have worked with local professionals of all paediatric subspecialties for the past 20 years convincing them successfully of the efficacy of the Netcoaching program. We will be glad to find out more about the concerns and work to find a mutual solution to your child’s feeding problem.

Do I need local medical supervision?

We strongly advise that every child participating in the Netcoaching program is under local paediatric observation! Please inform the attending physician about your participation in our netcoaching program. Specific information for professionals is available here.

What does the Netcoaching online platform look like?

Once the patients parents or caregivers has logged in to the treatment platform, he or she is prompted to the Netcoaching platforms main site:

Message from Patients & NoTube Team
(Ability to interact and communicate, post YouTube
links and attach documents, e.g., medical reports, videos)

Detailed patient information
(Name, Age, Contact information, etc.)

Detailed treatment information
(Method of tube feeding, current weight, current height, etc.)

Daily feeding protocols
(Clickable, opens up and is editable online to the parents)

Comments Thread
(Lists all previous communication)

I registered for a program, but I never received a feedback on the assessment for my child. What is the problem?

Our experts can take up to 3 days to conduct your child’s assessment and will get back to you immediately. However, if you have not paid the required assessment fee, no assessment will be conducted until the funds have been transferred. Note that it may take up to five business days for international bank transfers to be completed.

I have problems with my payment via PayPal. What can I do?

Please contact PayPal directly.

I have problems with the foreign bank transfer. What can I do?

For foreign bank transfer, you need to use the IBAN and BIC/SWIFT code. You also need the exact name of the bank: POSTFINANCE, Switzerland.

I have technical problems. What can I do?

Please contact our technical support via Alexander.

In-/Outpatient program at the University Children’s Hospital Graz

Is there a waiting list for tube weaning program in Graz?

If the decision has been made in favour of the In-/Outpatient treatment:

  • the waiting list for Inpatients is about 2-4 month
  • the waiting list for Outpatients usually is less.

Parents can choose the preferred dates of their child’s participation in the program themselves, based on availability on our online platform.

Are there any parental requirements for the In-/Outpatient program?

To ensure the best possible care and comfort and a secure situation for the child, we only accept children for treatment who can be accompanied by one and if at all possible both their parents. We do not accept any infant for tube weaning without a caregiver, that it is very comfortable with. In many cases, siblings or grandparents are also admitted and integrated into the various daily treatment sessions. The more family is around, the more "at home" the child feels even though it is visiting a new place.

Why do I have to pay an assessment fee to NoTube if I decide to come to Graz?

The NoTubeTeam is a spin-off LLC of the Medical University of Graz. As we get many requests from patients from all over the world, it is compulsory and necessary to assess whether the child is suitable for tube weaning and which preparation is needed before starting the treatment. This is important because we don’t want families to travel to Graz which we are not able to help.

Is there a washing machine available in hospital?

Yes, our staff will help you finding it.

Do I need to bring the tube formula with me?

The standardized formula is always available. Please communicate special diets with us. Just to be sure bring formula for the first few days with you.

Financial

Visits abroad

On demand, we offer the possibility of visiting a child in another hospital or at home, if the child is unable to travel. Registration for this service is possible on this website through our online registration form. After receiving detailed information from you in regard to your location, we will provide you with an individual quote. Additionally, transportation and housing of one of our staff members needs to be paid for.

Insurance

Both, the Netcoaching program as well as the In-/Outpatient treatment have been covered on an individual case-by-case basis by insurances before. If you want your insurance to pay for the fees associated with our services, please contact us and we will support your application to the insurance so that our services may be covered within your child’s insurance policy.

S2

Children from European countries are entitled to apply for the S2, a legal form issued by the European Union (EU) for medical cases of extreme specifity for which the home country of the child cannot offer medical help specific enough for the existing condition. In these cases the child's health insurance covers the full in- or outpatient therapy. For more information on the S2 please refer to your insurance consultant.

Advice

In the case of applying for the S2 please also ask your child's physician to tell your insurance company that long term tube feeding, apart from hindering the child's own capacity to learn to eat by itself, is very costly and is not free of complications, which may lead to more inpatient treatment. S2 notification for the In-/Outpatient treatment.

If your child’s treatment is covered by any insurance or by S2, the financial department of the University Children’s Hospital must be notified.

Financially struggling families

If payment for our services represents a significant financial problem to you and your family and you would otherwise not be able to participate in our programs, we kindly ask you to contact us via support@notube.at. We will endeavour to assist you to find a solution.

 

Has your question not been answered?

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