Feeding the complex needs child

Nestlé Health Science’s Enteral Support Network held its latest Elevate Your Clinical Practice study day in London on Tuesday 17th June, 2025. Bringing together 17 dietitians from across England, the meeting was an opportunity to share practical and scientific perspectives on the role of fibre in enteral nutrition.

This case study discusses the management of a male patient with chronic pancreatitis and persistent C. difficile infection, requiring full enteral tube feeding for the majority of his admission, due to an unsafe swallow. As malabsorption and osmotic diarrhoea were problematic, a change in enteral formula was indicated.

Learn how to develop a structured, evidence-based approach to support blended diets and enteral tube feeds with food-derived ingredients as first-line options for children requiring enteral nutrition.

Published in HSOA Journal of Neonatology and Clinical PediatricsThis case study series provides an overview of four children aged between twenty-six months to ten years. The children have a range of conditions including learning and physical disabilities, digestive tract abnormalities and genetic conditions such as DiGeorge’s syndrome. Reflux, constipation and vomiting were among the symptoms of feed intolerance reported.  Significant improvements in these symptoms were reported following a change to Compleat Paediatric®; a 1.2 kcal/ ml formula with 14% food derived ingredients (Nestlé Health Science), which resulted in improved quality of life for children and their families. Compleat Paediatric® could be considered as a sole source of nutrition or in conjunction with BD when children are not tolerating a standard commercial formula.Case studies provided by;Aneeqa Siddiqui, Paediatric Dietitian, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS FoundationTrust, Birmingham, UKVictoria Steele, Senior Specialist Dietitian, Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, UKMarti van der Linde, Community Paediatric Dietitian, Worcestershire North, Nutrition and Dietetic teamOrder Samples

Recently, as reported by dietetic departments in the United Kingdom, we have seen an increase in Homemade Blended Diets (HBD) being given to children requiring tube feeding. HBD practice may increase the risk of tube occlusion and nutritional inadequacies. In 2015 the British Dietetic Association (BDA) developed their first ‘Practice toolkit liquidised food via gastrostomy tube’, whic...

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system specifically targeting CD4 cells, white blood cells which play a major role in protecting against infection. As the virus progresses and the CD4 count decreases there is an increased risk of certain infections referred to as ‘opportunistic infections’ (OIs). The gastrointestinal (GI) tr...

GEORGE IS A 63 YEAR OLD MARRIED MAN WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MALIGNANT NEOPLASM OF THE OESOPHAGUS IN SEPTEMBER 2011. A two stage oesophago-gastrectomy was performed in February 2012 with a jejunal tube inserted for feeding. The patient reported that during his hospital stay he was given a polymeric feed via the jejunostomy. He suffered with severe diarrhoea for the length of his hospital stay. He was discharged home in April 2012, taking small meals and snacks without enteral nutrition. Over a 6 mo...

"ENTERAL TUBE FORMULA: A MULTICENTRE TRIAL IN THE UNITED KINGDOM The prevalence of Cerebral Palsy (CP) children who require a low-calorie feed is between 8-15%. ESPGHAN working group recommend using a low-fat, low-calorie, high fibre, micronutrient replete formula for immobile Neurological Impaired children. Children aged 1-11 years with neurological issues were recruited from UK National Health Service (NHS). Participants were given the new low-c..."

This case study discusses the nutritional management of a severely undernourished patient with head and neck cancer. The patient experienced diarrhoea and significant weight loss, despite the use of various enteral formulas and delivery methods (continuous and bolus feeding). Thereafter a combination of products within the Peptamen® range were trialled. A marked reduction i...

A multi-centre, single arm study to evaluate the gastro-intestinal tolerance and compliance of a high energy adult enteral tube feed with food derived ingredients.

Introduction/overview Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive and irreversible inflammatory disease of the pancreas. This results in exocrine and endocrine dysfunction which in time leads to maldigestion and malabsorption reducing the body’s ability to utilise essential macro and micronutrients. Consequently protein energy malnutrition is common. Research indicates that in more than 80...

This checklist can be used when transitioning a child onto a blended diet, using Compleat® paediatric as a base in recipes. Use this resource as a blended diet risk assessment and agreement between parents/carers and dietitian.