G-Tube Tips

I found this stuff called New Skin at the pharmacy (Rite Aid). It’s for burns, has breathable hydro-gel, and is also in a sticky bandage form. If you slit it to the center as you would a piece of gauze, it works beautifully. It attaches itself to the stem part of the button, it breathes, it cools the burn from the stomach acid, and it heals, while stopping the leakage from oozing out. - M.C., Alameda, CA

My daughter has had a G-tube since birth. She now has the button, which is much better. Her tube has always given us a problem with leaking. I have tried gauze in many sizes and make-up sponges that are circular with the hole cut out of the middle. These have worked, but I have found that taking 2 pieces of toilet paper or ½ a piece of a tissue, rolling it up like a cigarette, and then wrapping it around the tube works very well. This can be replaced wherever and whenever needed. This has kept my daughter dry and very clean. Even her doctor has bragged about this idea and how great her site looks. - J.L.S., Cleveland, TN

When my son began continuous feeds through the night with a pump, I was worried about the tube wrapping around his leg or arm and the pump alarm going off all the time. Then, I came across an item that holds him in one position, yet he has room to turn and move in. It’s called The Tucker Sling and it has been a life saver!! Their website shows pictures of the sling, and they have various sizes depending on the size of your child. - D.F., Modesto, CA

Our daughter had terrible granulation tissue before someone told us about eucalyptus oil. We now use it everyday and have no build-up around the tube. It will also bring down the tissue. It has to be diluted: 2 drops of oil to 10-20 ml. of water. I swab it around the tube area with Q-tips. You may want to test it on another area first to be sure there will not be an allergic reaction. For my daughter, it worked wonderfully. I know of lots of other parents who have also tried it and had very good results. No more silver nitrate burns! I would recommend trying it. The oil can be bought at health stores or off the Internet. - L.J., city and state unknown

My daughter has had a G-tube for about five years. Her nutrition is solely from her G-tube feeds. I use a creme around the site that’s called Calmeseptine. It's fairly new on the market and works very well for that area. I put the creme on 3 times a day and then cover it each time with a 2 x 2 gauze. My daughter very rarely has any problems with granulation or infection by the G-tube site. - J.K., city and state unknown

To clean the G-tube, pour flat Coke/cola through the tube. It works wonders. Also to prevent leakage and skin irritation, use 4 x 4 tracheostomy drain sponges. They can be purchased at many drug stores. - D.T., Kenner, LA

We try to make our son's feeding bags last a few days, but to avoid bacterial growth, we refrigerate the bag between cleanings. Works for food, and for food bags! - K.H., Rockford, IL

My son had horrible problems with granulation tissue around his G-tube since the day it was placed. We were using silver nitrate every 2 to 4 days. We tried creams, antacids, Cholestin, and IV sponges, but none healed him. Someone told us about foam dressings. It worked! My son's G-tube site has been healed for the first time in 4 years! The brand name is called Hydrasorb. It is a foam dressing, and it absorbs any leakage and it cuts down on the scar tissue. It took about two months to fully heal while using this dressing, but his stomach is now dry and tight and the scar tissue has lessened. Try it! - D.M., Traverse City, MI

I have a 16 year old daughter who has cerebral palsy, is non-verbal and is G-tube fed. I have found from my life experience that there are not a lot of products on the market to help with different situations. So I have taken in hand, marketing different products to help. One is called the "GT Pad." I use to spend approximately $150 Canadian per year on gauze for her site, not including the prescriptions to help clear up problems. I have been using "GT Pads" for 4 years and am very happy with them and the money I have saved. I have found ten pads can last up to two years. - J.G., Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

We've found that, in addition to putting a 2"x2" split sponge between the skin and the button, using Silvadene cream regularly is the most effective way to keep the site mostly irritation-free.

Also, the best tape ever to hold the gauze against the skin (or an NG-tube to the cheek, or a nasal cannula) is Hypafix dressing retention sheet tape. The adhesive is very sticky, but doesn't hurt when pulled off, and it's hypoallergenic. The fabric is pliable and doesn't poke and it does need scissors to be cut. Most hospitals don't know about it, so you should ask for it to be ordered.

Bolus-feeding: when my son needed to be bolus-fed or vented with a 60cc barrel, we attached velcro to the barrel, and the corresponding piece to his feeding chair. For travel, we attached the corresponding piece to his car seat and his stroller. - L.S., Altadena, CA

My daughter, Marissa, has a G-tube and we have gone through the same horrors of granulation tissue as a lot of you. Marissa just recently had to have surgery to remove this tissue as the silver nitrate did not help. I received a good tip from a friend of mine on the G-tube network: simply place a makeup square or round under the tube. I have to cut a slit in it, but it fits great under the "peg." It was tried by many and seems to work miracles with preventing the tissue from growing back. - T.S., Glens Falls, NY

My daughter is 2 ½ years old. She has been on continuous feeds since she was 13 months old. I found a great way to keep her G-tube from coming out at night and at play. Take the tube and snake it through her diaper. Make sure to leave enough slack between her diaper and the button. To do this before I really had the system down, I would stand her up. The best diapers to use are the cheap ones with the tape; the Velcro ones don't keep the tube in place as well. - Initials, city and state unknown

Silver nitrate is needed for our child to keep granuloma in check. However, we find the nitrate can discolor and irritate the adjacent skin. Petroleum jelly or other such substance (we use an anti-bacterial jelly called Bactraban) can help protect this area of the skin surrounding the tube site. What also helps is to keep our daughter flat for awhile after application of the silver nitrate. My understanding is that the nitrate reduces the granuloma a bit, which may permit gastric oozing, causing the nitrate stains. - J.D., Haverford, PA

My son had a G-tube for years before I figured out the best way to clean the connector tubing. All you need is water and a table knife. WHILE YOU ARE RUNNING WATER THROUGH THE TUBE, hold the tube between your thumb and the dull side of a table knife, and act as if you were curling a ribbon on a birthday present. Press the tube hard between your thumb and the knife and run the knife/thumb the full length of the tube, in the direction that the water is flowing. The pressure of the "ribbon curling" action will loosen all the gunk, and the water carries it away. It takes 10 seconds, and it works on all tubes, even tubes too small for a pipe cleaner. This method also unblocks plugged tubes. - D.M., Traverse City, MI

To keep tubing from crimping at night due to rolling, I took an old toddler size sock, cut off the toe end, feed the tubing thru it and put it on his leg. This keeps the tubing in a general area and stops it from crimping. I have also heard of using a wrist sweatband. - T.H., Hilliard, OH

I stumbled on this site after my son's G-tube was removed, but kept the address. It is a great site for new or old G-tube users or people dealing with a loved one that has one: www.iinet.com.au/~scarffam/gtube.html. As far as traveling with my son, who by the way was a continuous G-tube feeder, it was very difficult until I got the hang of it. I made a hook out of a coat hanger for the bag to hang on and put it on the handle above the door with the pump on the floor. After stabilizing the pump, we were ready to ride. It is a process that takes practice getting from the house to the car and back again, but it can be done. I got tired of being home thinking I needed someone to help us go some place - being dependent on someone else's schedule. So, I experimented when I did have help, just in case I needed an extra hand to figure it out. Now, my son is fed by mouth only, and the G-tube was removed in December '98. Everyone isn't as lucky as we are, but if I can help one person out there with our quirky ways of doing things, I have accomplished more than I realize. - C.M., city and state unknown

Try putting a coat of clear nail polish over the numbers on a syringe to prevent them from washing off. - R.B., Calgary, Canada

For those of you crushing vitamins, I have a better solution. I crushed them for years until one day I decided to try placing the vitamin in a little medicine cup and adding about 10cc of water. The next morning, the vitamin is dissolved and needs no crushing. - J.P., city unknown, SC

My seven year old with HD used to have a G-tube, but this was replaced by a button (which is heaven sent). The button is so much easier than the tube and there is no bulk. It is pretty much flush with the skin. We do have a problem with the button leaking though. We use split two by twos to put under the button (2 packages). This makes the button a little tighter and helps to control leaking. I put a piece of tape across the gauze to keep the button closed during the day. - Initials, city and state unknown

For granulation tissue around the G-tube site, our doctor has prescribed Carafate suspension. We use a Q-tip to dab this on 2-3 times a day; this works really well. We also clean the site with normal saline (not the kind used for irrigation, but the kind used for cleaning) which is available over-the-counter in a large bottle (which lasts a long time). My 16 year old son has had a G-tube for about 9 years, so we have tried many remedies, but these work the best for us. There is also a very good multi-vitamin available in liquid form that we have used for years. It is Vi-Daylin, and is over-the-counter, but the pharmacy usually has to order it in. - B.S., Opelika, AL

I have found that using gauze around the G-tube works well to prevent irritation and granulation tissue as well. To avoid having to have scissors handy to make the ½ cut, I found that 2x2 I.V. split gauze works great! - C.C., Milwaukee, WI

For those who don't want to go through all the hassles of crushing vitamins, we have found that Shaklee makes a water soluble vitamin powder, called Vita-Lea. It dissolves readily and stays in suspension pretty well. The directions suggest mixing a teaspoon with several ounces of water, which can be a lot of additional fluids to administer. We use a smaller amount of water to mix the vitamins, and follow each syringe-ful with a plain water chaser, to keep the tube clear. - B.R., Forestville, CA

Our son is G-tube fed and has had lots of trouble with granulated tissue. We tried everything - cortisone cream, Destin (allergic) and silver nitrate - but nothing seemed to work. We started putting 2x2 gauze, cut in the middle, with Maalox on the area around the tube. By cutting the gauze, you can fit it around the tube next to the skin. This will leave the G-tube site open to connect to the pump. He has not had anymore granulated tissue. This is easy for us and painless for him. At the first sign of irritation, we get the Maalox out. - R.H., Cookeville, TN

When mixing medications for G-tube use, dilute the medication with a small amount of fairly warm water and when the medication is dissolved enough, add a small amount of cool water to make it a comfortable temperature. Most medications will dissolve well this way. - L.A., Colts Neck, NJ

To clean the extension sets for G-tubes, use extra-long pipe cleaners and hot soapy water. The long pipe cleaners can be bought in craft supply stores and work really well to remove the build up from inside the tube. - M.O., Ontario, Canada

A caution on the use of cortisone cream to treat granulation tissue: cortisone should only be used on an "off-again, on-again" basis, as it is a steroid, and can, over time, cause the skin to become thin and weak. Used three days on, three days off is reasonable. Used only on an "as-needed" basis is best. It is also great to combine cortisone cream with an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment (e.g., Bacitracin) and an antifungal cream (e.g., Lotrimin). This triple-combination approximates a commercial product called Kenalog cream (triamcinolone), which is popularly recommended by many parents on the G-tube mailing list. - S.G., Sudbury, MA

My daughter, who is G-tube fed, needs to take a multivitamin with minerals. The best ones I have found are the Bugs Bunny brand. They are sugar free and crush much easier than the others I have tried. Another plus is that they are cheaper and a child under 4 only has to take ½ of one instead of a whole one! - J.J., Denton, MD

I use the wooden end of the long Q-tips to clean the extension tube to my son's G-tube. I just put in a drop of soap and then rinse well. Also, once a week, I soak it in 1/2 strength vinegar and then wash. - T.H., Hilliard, OH

Our son has a G-tube and has had problems with granulation tissue. I have found that cortisone cream shrinks the granulation tissue, and Desitin heals the irritation. Works wonders for us. - D.B., Dubuque, IA

For those of you who need to crush pills to put in a G-tube, I highly recommend a syringe by Nestle called the HandiCrush. You place the pill in the crusher and put in the plunger. One turn and the pills are crushed. Then, you suck up water or whatever to mix it. No more trying to get a little bit out of the medicine cup. - T.R., Dickinson, ND

Our daughter has a G-Button that continually leaks due to granulation tissue. We have tried silver-nitrate and that didn't seem to help. So we took a disposable nursing pad and folded it into fourths and cut the corner off, leaving a hole in the center. We then cut two vertical lines opposite of each other. We clean her button, dry it, and put Desitin under it. Then we gently ease the nursing pad over the button and underneath it. It collects all of the moisture and draws it away from her skin. It stays in place all day or night. I am pleased to say, the granulation tissue has all but disappeared on its own! - K.T., Avon, IN

Recently, we took our 15 month old daughter, who is G-tube fed, on a trip to Australia to visit her grandparents. She gets a bolus feeding every few hours, so we have to take her tube and syringe with us, whenever we venture out. I had tried wrapping them in paper towels and putting them in her diaper bag. They usually ended up unwrapped and at the bottom of the bag or worse yet, on the ground, after we had rummaged through the bag a few times - yuck! We found a travel case in K-mart for a toothbrush and toothpaste that fit perfectly. If you detach the tube from the syringe, they lay on top of one another! Now you have a wonderful G-Tube travel case. - K.T., Avon, IN

Feeding Tips

We have a child with Down syndrome. At around age 5, we wanted her to drink from a cup using a straw - just like all the other kids do. She could not understand the concept of "sucking" on the straw. By accident, after many attempts, we told her to "kiss" the straw. This produced the "sucking" motion and she caught on from that point forward. We have told several other parents who have children with DS and it has worked for them too. This allows the child and parent the freedom to buy things like drinking boxes. - L.F., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I saw the comment on the lack of large bibs for adults. One suggestion would be to get a length of ribbon and sew on clips, such as alligator clips, onto both ends. That way, you can use anything as a bib; just hang the ribbon on the person's neck and clip it to the towel, napkin, etc. I got this idea from a Teletubby travel kit that came with a sippy cup, a bowl and a gadget such as the one I just described, so we can use the restaurant's paper napkins in an emergency. - C.P., Midwest City, OK

If your child is on a pureed food diet, and you are going out for the day, heat the food before leaving and put it in a thermos. It will stay hot for hours. You can also use these for cold food. I even bought my daughter her own special little lunch bucket, so now she can have lunch anywhere we go. - L.J., Sioux Falls, SD

When I finally got tired of just feeding my daughter the tasteless baby food, I looked for something else that would puree smoothly in the blenders. I buy the Hormel microwave cup (they have potato and ham, broccoli and cheese, spaghetti, beans and wieners, chicken noodle or dumpling, etc.), and my daughter loves them much better than baby food. If your child is still doing baby food, it’s a quick and fast meal. Also, I puree bananas and canned fruit and vegetables. I give her a very high protein drink: one banana with a package of Carnation breakfast and 7 ounces of whole milk with a cup of ice cream. I throw it in the blender and when I pour it in the cup, I pour on chocolate milk. Cereal I grind into a power and then add milk until smooth. For other ideas, you can order a great pureed recipe book by Randy Wilson called Non-Chew Foods. - L.J., Sioux Falls, SD

My 17 year old daughter has difficulty handling foods like soup or cereal that have different textures in the same bite. We solved the problem by mixing her breakfast cereal with low fat yogurt instead of milk. She loves to decide which flavor and no spilled milk!! - B.P., Oklahoma City, OK

Johanna has quadriplegic athetoid cerebral palsy, accompanied by marked oral motor deficits. After 15 years, we've found that the best way to prepare her food is still the "Happy Baby" brand baby-food grinder (formerly made by Bowland-Jacobs of Yorkville, IL; I don't know if they're still made). The problem with food processors, or any motorized food preparation method, is that they tend to turn the food into soup. The perforated metal plate of the Happy Baby grinder, with slow manual grinding, leaves enough texture in the food to exercise what oral motor skills Johanna has. We suspect the old-style metal grinders used about 50 years ago for meat grinding, would also work well. - E.A., Boulder, CO

When your child is just beginning to eat, or if your child has some feeding problems, use a baby food grinder to grind up small portions of your leftovers. Freeze them in ice cube trays to use when your child needs a quick nutritious snack. - C.U., city and state unknown

My son won't eat vegetables, so I grate them finely and add them to ground meat for hamburger patties, cornbread, spaghetti sauce, stuffing, etc. I use any combination of carrots, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, celery, eggplant, and/or bell pepper. I also add fortified baby cereal to gravies, mashed potatoes, sauces, etc. to increase vitamin content. - J.J., New Orleans, LA

Use pudding or other thick sticky food for children learning to feed themselves. It will stick to the utensils and provide the child with success getting food to their mouths without it falling off by the time the utensil reaches the mouth. - D.S., Fayetteville, NC

My son loves to eat in his room, in front of his TV/VCR, on a tray. To keep the spills at a minimum on my carpet, I went to the office supply store and bought a mat that goes under your computer chair. The short end fits under the TV and he doesn't try to pull it up because it is hard, heavy plastic. It stays put on the carpet and works like a charm - wipes up perfectly. Just spray a little bleach type cleaner and wipe away... it's sanitary, a cinch to clean and no more stains on my carpet. The small ones run around $9.95 at Office Depot. - M.G., Louisville, KY

I have a 17 year old severely mentally handicapped daughter. She has severe motor deficits in all areas. She walked at age 6 and was toilet trained at age 10. A way we taught her to use a straw and even helped with the sippie cups was using a drink box, with a straw. We would put the straw into her mouth and squeeze the box and the liquid would come out. Through this we were able to teach her how to drink with a straw. - M.H., Springfield, LA

My son is 15 months old and requires all of his fluids to be thickened for him to tolerate them. I have found the best product so far (after trying a number of them) to be the Novartis Nutrition/Resource Product Range. They supply Thicken-Up powder and also pre-thickened juices - which are very convenient for traveling. Also, they have a product called Dairy Thick. They have an office I believe in Minnesota. - N.B., Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

I was just at a vendor fair and was looking at one of the catalogs and saw a bib for larger kids. I was about to try to sew something to use for my 9 year old so she wouldn't get food all over her clothes when she eats. This large bib made me think of the plastic art smocks that you buy for art at school. It has a pocket at the bottom to catch food. I haven't found one yet, but that might give someone an idea. - S.S., Aurora, IL

Several years ago, I was a teacher of orthopedically and multi-handicapped children, along with being a camp counselor for children with a variety of special needs. In an effort to escape the perpetual "graham cracker and juice" snack routine at camp, I decided to try Jell-O jiggles; I had tried them in my classroom, and they had been a big hit. One of the campers began chewing for the first time ever(!), and his mother was thrilled enough to continue fixing them for him! They are easy to prepare, and the recipe is on the box of most Jell-O packages (regular and sugar-free). I have also used pure juice and gelatin; they taste great, but the lack of preservatives keeps them from staying firm as long. That was fine (and preferred) for our own children, but the length of time required to feed some of my "other" children warranted the longer-lasting variety. - H.B., Jefferson, NC

I am a single parent of two wonderful children, Samantha, 5 years old, and Henry, 9 years old. Henry has special needs. He has cerebral palsy, is blind, delayed, has seizures, and more; a great kid nonetheless. Anyway, he does not have a G-tube and eats by mouth. I have to feed him, but I prefer that to the G-tube. He doesn't have any vision, and I didn't want to take taste away from him. Well, we've always had a hard time getting him to drink so that he doesn't dehydrate, especially in the summer. We used cups and 10cc syringes, but they would always spill and it would take over an hour to drink 8 ounces of water. We wouldn't even bother with other drinks, like milk or juices, because of how long it took to get him to drink. Water was essential; the benefits of the other drinks could be found in foods he could eat. Anyway, one day, while on my way back from a trip to California, I was in the car and knew that he needed to drink. A general rule I have is if I'm thirsty, he's thirsty, so if I drink, he drinks. Well, no cup and I couldn't find the syringe amongst the chaos in the van. I did have a spray bottle though, which is what I used to spray the kids faces and necks in the heat. IDEA! I pointed the squirt bottle into the side of his mouth and squirted. He was startled at first, but the spray tickled his throat and he started laughing. The spray was enough to stay in his mouth and he swallowed it with no problem. From this day forward, I use squirt bottles to make sure that he drinks enough. The nice thing about it is that I have bottles for milk, bottles for juice, for soda, for water and in the same time it used to take him to drink 8 ounces of water before, he can drink any of his drinks, plus water, plus finish his meals. I always have a squirt bottle on his chair wherever we go - to spray his face and to quench his thirst. It works great! - C.W., Phoenix, AZ

My son tends to want to push his food towards him when he is eating finger foods. Well, since I have yet to see someone come up with a feeding tray, such as one on a wheelchair (completely lipped all the way around), he was pushing food into his lap and the chair. What helped was a cheap ($2.99) half-round, plastic chip and dip dish. I attached velcro strips to the bottom and matching strips to the tray, so that it was more difficult for him to push the dish off of the tray. Hope this helps. - M.H., Adrian, MI

For Madeline (age 18), who is a messy eater because of her disability, we cannot find suitable sized bibs at an affordable price to protect her clothing, so we use towels. We use some so-called "guest towels" which are too small in our minds for towels (large enough to dry hands on once), but are larger than a face cloth. Also, we had some towels which we didn't really like (a free gift from a shopping catalogue), so I cut them down to what I though was an appropriate size and sewed cotton ribbon for the ties. Some home-made bibs don't have ties, so I just tuck them into her collar and spend a lot of meal time re-tucking them in! - T.H., Bristol, UK

My son is hyposensitive in his mouth and can't feel foods or liquids until they hit his gag reflex, and then we get aspiration, etc. We tried "Thick-It" and that helped a little but we couldn't use it with his medications because of problems with binding. We hit the jackpot when his occupational therapist suggested making everything REALLY cold, almost freezing. He can feel that sooner and giving him 5 cc's of medications has dropped from a 30 minute choking ordeal, to a 3 minute regular kid kind of thing. He is even starting to eat cereal (thick and cold). It sounds disgusting, but it works! Talk to your doctor to be sure your child's medications can be put in the fridge. - T.S., Santaquin, UT

Hygiene and Grooming Tips

I've discovered that with kids who drool a lot and can't control it, instead of using bibs, use bandanas. Bandanas come in many colors and styles, and you can even make your own. Get some fabric at a store and cut it into about a two by two (foot) square. Then sew around the edges. Instantly, you have a cool new bandana - any fabric, any design. They only take about 15 minutes to make. You can tie bandanas around kids necks and go everywhere, and no one will say "Why does so-and-so have a bib on?" They are stylish, easy, quick, and awesome. And you can always throw them in the wash, no hassle. - Initials, city, and state unknown

If your child's eye has been breaking out around the area of the adhesive from eye patches, Opticlude Patches by 3M have worked really well for us. If they continue to break out, take a bit of Milk of Magnesia (M.O.M.) on a Q-tip and draw a circle around their eye with the M.O.M. and let it dry, then apply the patch. The M.O.M. makes a good barrier between the adhesive and the skin which will stop the rashes!! - L.W., New Brunswick, Canada

This is for kids who absolutely hate to have their hair cut. We finally gave in and paid $69 for a FLOWBEE. It is an electric clipper set on a vacuum. It doesn't do the best job, but it gets the hair off quickly and easily and I don't worry about cutting off an ear as my son fights and swings his head around. He also doesn't get any hair in his eyes and I have nothing to clean up. We should have done it long ago. I used to dread the haircut and wait until it was a long matted mess. No more! We ordered it off of the Internet. - L.O., Logan, Utah

After reading other tips for nappy rash, I recalled a home remedy that I swear by: egg white! After cleaning and thoroughly drying the area, put a thin smear of egg white over the sore area or area to be protected. Allow it a few seconds to dry and there is a perfect seal over the area. And, it’s totally natural! This was the best tip I was ever given! - M.M., Picnic Point, NSW

I have a neat idea that's been working for about two weeks with our 6 (almost 7) year old Mikie. Mikie has cerebral palsy and also mild mental retardation, along with ADHD and possible behavior problems (other than that, he's a spoiled monster). Well, Mikie is on Dilantin for seizure disorders, and if any of you are familiar with it, it can cause bad gum problems.

The toothbrush issue has always been a big problem here and he hated getting his teeth brushed by me. The dentist said that we needed to do it 2 to 3 times a day since he was getting a bad mouth from letting him do it by himself.

Well, we invented the Toothbrush Fairy! Okay, so how does it work? Well, it’s kind of like the Tooth Fairy, but this one comes every Friday and checks your teeth when you’re sleeping, and if you do a good job all week by helping to learn to brush your teeth and letting Mommy or Daddy do it correctly, then the Toothbrush Fairy leaves a shiny quarter. Well, I know I’m cheap, but hey, he's still young enough to appreciate a quarter! And if he gives me too much of a hard time, I remind him of the Toothbrush Fairy, and he usually straightens up. When the time comes for him to test me, I tell him, "Well, I guess the Toothbrush Fairy didn't like what she saw... maybe next week you will try harder." I hope this helps! It has been a Godsend with us so far! - A.S., Manassas Park, VA

My son, Asa, is 9 years old, and has PDD-NOS. To clear up his filthy fingernail problem, we let him play with shaving cream in the bath. It really gets into those nasty crevices and he smells sooo good afterwards. - C.T., Rio Medina, TX

If your child tends to get sticky eyes in the mornings, (eyelashes stuck together, or just filled with goopy matter) try wetting a Q-tip with water and a little baby shampoo, then gently massage. The shampoo really helps to clean them off, plus it doesn't sting. - B.N., Burlington, KY

I always had a problem with sores and peeling of the skin around Kevin's fingers, because he always had his fingers in his mouth and the skin was always wet. When I asked my pediatrician what I could use around the skin to protect it that would be non-toxic (because whatever is in his hands goes in his mouth), he suggested Aquaphor. It is available at any pharmacy and is a gel that blocks the skin from wetness. It worked great for Kevin. - J.W., Long Island, NY

We use a lot of made up songs, especially for the less enjoyed tasks like tooth brushing. Just make up any little nonsense verse to go with each part of the task to distract the child. We also stick to a standard routine of what we do in the morning - he goes along with this a lot better. For hair cutting, I often sneak in while he is in the tub and avoid frequent trips to the barber. - L.F., Pawtucket, RI

This is a tip for "wheelchair hair." There's a great product on the market you can get anywhere. It's called "No More Tangles." You just spray it on before you brush and the tangles come right out. And, there's no screaming! - V.H., San Jose, CA

Having a child with special needs has proven to be challenging. But nothing compares to the frustration of "wheelchair hair." It was always coarse, and matted. Now I use V05 leave-in hair conditioner. It took a few weeks to remedy, but I don't have problems anymore! - C.K., city and state unknown

This tip is for children with cerebral palsy or any other condition that causes the hands to be fisted, which in turn causes a foul odor. After the child has been bathed, rub some cream deodorant into the palm and between the fingers. You can get several kinds that come in small compact looking containers. The one we use is called MUM. No more sweaty hands and the odor is gone! - K.W., Sanford, NC

School Tips

My son has Tourettes syndrome, as well as ADHD and OCD. The lines of communication with his teacher and aide are very important. I've devised a form that I send to school each morning with my son that has the date and the medication he is currently taking (he rotates every 7 days). There is a section for "a.m. comments" (here I write how his previous evening was, how he slept, if he's in a waxing period, etc.). Then, there is a chart with columns for the time period, activity, activity level (on a 1 [least] to 5 [greatest] scale), his focusing level, and if he displayed tics. There is a section at the bottom for "p.m. comments," where his aide and/or teacher write anything I need to know that happened during the day. Although verbal communication is also a must, this eliminates having to speak with them on a daily basis. - J.K., Saranac Lake, NY

Know all of your rights, and don’t sign the school (ARD/IEP) papers if you truly do not agree. Voice your opinion, know what you want your child to get from the school system and push for it. Join "Mothers From Hell - Advocating Disability rights - we will not be silenced" (an advocacy group with good ideas for school meetings), plus you can purchase one of the T-shirts with the logo to wear to the meetings!! - R.E., Odessa, TX

Besides knowing your child's rights, which is more difficult than it sounds, and not taking no for an answer when you know what your child needs, I learned a very important tip this year. It doesn't matter what is written on paper but what actually happens in that classroom, and unless you actually go in and regularly observe that classroom, you really don't know. I couldn't figure out why David's behavior had become more aggressive at home, until I observed his class to find 4 children with out-of-control behavior disorders in his classroom. The class was total commotion and confusion, and the teacher confided in me that she felt she was not capable. It was not the teacher's fault, but the administration's, which failed to listen to her. They did listen to me. So, do speak up parents! - L.F., Pawtucket, RI

One of the best time and communication problems that was resolved at my son’s school has been a "communication book" that is kept in his pack sack. Anything that changes, either at home or at school, is written in his book. I will write down a simple change, for instance that I have a day off work. The school can then be prepared that my son may start requesting to come home because he knows that I am at home. The school will write down each day how his day went because we have a reward system with stickers that go on the calender for good behavior that works toward a bigger reward at the end of each week. This has worked well for both the school and ourselves, but most of all, it provides consistency for my son. - D.L., Nipigon, Ontario, Canada

I am a single mother and my daughter has autism. I do not have the option to stay at home or work flex hours. My tip is, at the beginning of August, call the school your child is attending and schedule an appointment with the principal and director of the after-school program. This way, you can make sure that all three of you are on the same "page" and that you get all the assistance your child may need up-front. Last year, we had no problem obtaining permission for one adult to supervise my daughter, one-on-one. There was also no problem in the school hiring that person.

We are in a new school this year. I called 2 days ago to schedule the meeting and was told that they are so short staffed, that they probably can not "accommodate" my daughter! Now I have 3 weeks to try and sort this out. Had I not called early, on the first day of school I would have been faced with finding something for her EVERY afternoon! - L.W., Marietta, GA

Whenever I send notes to school or anyone for that matter, I write the note on brightly colored paper. Then when I do a follow-up phone call, I remind them that I sent it on the bright green, orange, red, etc. paper. It helps them locate it in their stack of papers.

To help with organization, we color code the notebooks with the corresponding textbook. If the spelling book is yellow, we buy a yellow notebook. If the science book is purple, we get a purple notebook. This does help to keep the same textbook and notebook together for assignments. - S.G., Ogallala, NE

I have problems with misunderstandings about my son's Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and often need to send notes to his resource teacher, assistant principal or counselor. Often, David doesn't tell me there's a problem until we're sitting outside school, but his advocate has said to keep copies of all such notes.

So I now have a no-carbon-required memo book in my glove compartment. It has 100 pages, meaning that I can write 50 notes, and costs about $6 at an office superstore. When a minor problem arises, I just write a note, send the white original to the teacher and leave the yellow one in the book (easier to find if I ever need to go to mediation or a hearing!). And though they're still hand-written, they look more "serious" and "official" than a note written on pretty stationery or on a page ripped out of David's notebook. I've noticed that I get faster/better feedback from the school since making the switch. When the problem is SERIOUS, however, such as a three-day in-school suspension, I write all notes on the computer and fax them from a public fax. Then I file my copy, the transmission sheet and the sheet that proves the fax was received. If I get a call from the principal/teacher/counselor in response to my fax, I then do a computer memo about my understanding of the conversation and fax that to the school, including a line about "if you do not respond within 'x' working days, I will assume my interpretation of this matter is correct." - E.M., Indianapolis, IN