Mothers left in the dark over tube feeding decisions for children with Down syndrome, research reveals

A new study led by the University of Hertfordshire has highlighted the emotional toll faced by mothers of young children with Down syndrome who require tube feeding. The research, led by Dr. Laura K Hielscher, who completed her Ph.D. at Herts' Department of Psychology, Sport and Geography, found that mothers often felt excluded from decision-making when nasogastric (NG) tubes—soft plastic tubes inserted through a baby's nose and into the stomach—were first inserted to provide essential nutrition and medication.