EARLY FEEDING AFTER PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY IS SAFE IN CHILDREN

Mast patients are fasted for at least 12 to 24 hours following percuta neous endoscopic gastrostomy. In order to decrease the period of fasti ng, inadequate nutritional support, and hospitalization time, we began enteral feedings in 24 of 28 consecutive children, aged 4 weeks to 20 years, who were referred for PEG, 6 hours following the procedure. Al l patients received their full volume of feedings within 24 hours. Twe lve of 13 outpatients were discharged in less than 24 hours. There wer e no complications related to early feeding and no complications that required discontinuation of feedings. Early feeding following PEG inse rtion is safe in children.