NoTube offers training courses for professionals working with children who suffer from early eating behavior problems. In order to maximize the training’s impact as well as achieve the goals of this result-oriented approach, the program is set up in 4 phases yielding excellent results for the involved participants. The program consists of:
Preparatory phase (2 months before course)
Participants will be asked to prepare a declaration of their goals, functions and responsibilities around the issue of tube planning, the intervention of placement, tube maintenance and tube weaning. In order to achieve a lasting and sustainable impact, preparatory literature will be made available.
1st teaching course
The first course consists of an introductory session on the impact of eating development, the concept of autonomy and other specific issues. Further topics covered will be:
- Diagnostic classification systems which are suitable for eating behavior disorders
- The impact of medical diagnosis and the possible influence of intensive care on the development of food preferences, refusal and progressive failure to thrive
- Nutritional and other growth-related issues
- The specific impact of medical conditions and the co-dependency of caregivers in feeding routines and the eating development of medically fragile children
- The evidence-based method of the Graz tube weaning model is presented (includes a demonstration of video scenes showing relevant situations)
Practice & Online Q&A service
In the intermediate period of time between the first and the second course the participants are requested to observe tube associated topics in their daily work and collect experiences with the acquired new know-how. NoTube’s experts support the preparation of case reports and videos showcasing patients to be presented in the second course. The course instructors offer continuous Q&A services throughout this phase. There will also be supervision in the case of mutual patients being weaned by the netCoaching method.
2nd teaching course
Invites its participants to discuss problems on technique and timing of tube weaning and the handling of “difficult” behavior on the part of the patients and involved parents. The criteria of a result-oriented evaluation are divided into short-term and long-term goals. Furthermore, participants together with NoTube will form a detailed action plan in regard to future tube dependent patients and possible tube weaning strategies for the specific institution.
