Parents' experiences of their child's transition from tube to oral feeding

Описание: This video is part of the ausEE Feeding Tube Awareness Week (FTAW) 2026 Virtual Education Program, created to inform, support and empower the tube-feeding community.

About this video:

Parents' experiences of their child's transition from tube to oral feeding during an intensive intervention program

Dr Emily Lively shares her research on parents' experiences of weaning their children and the implications this feedback has on improving care teams that support tube fed children.

About the presenter:
Dr Emily Lively has worked within paediatric Speech Pathology since 2000. Over the last 22 years she has specialised in infant and paediatric feeding difficulties, working at both hospital and community clinic settings in country South Australia, the United Kingdom and metropolitan Adelaide. Emily is the Founding Director of Lively Eaters - a truly interdisciplinary centre that specialises in supporting children with eating, drinking and/or mealtime difficulties and their families. Emily’s clinical area of expertise lies in supporting non-oral children (tube-fed) to learn to eat and drink within their capabilities. Emily completed her PhD through Flinders University in 2023 titled ‘ Optimising Paediatric Tube Weaning Practices’. Emily has published peer-reviewed papers on international approaches to tube weaning, predictive clinical factors for successful tube weaning and the lived experience of parents as they support their tube-fed child to learn to eat and drink. Emily’s research has led her to develop evidence-based principles for successful tube weaning that are currently being peer-reviewed. In her role as a clinician-researcher, Emily has peer-reviewed many feeding-related research articles. She provides regular training workshops to parents and health professionals, has lectured in Paediatric Feeding at Flinders University and the University of Queensland and has presented at a range of national and international conferences and workshops.

In addition, Emily extensively supports neuro-divergent children, those with developmental delays and complex feeding relationships within the context of holistic, family-centred feeding therapy. Emily and her team of Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Dietitians, Infant Mental Health therapists and paediatrician develop functional and enjoyable mealtimes and feeding partnerships for children and their families Australia-wide and internationally via the unique Lively Eaters intensive, residential, family-centred feeding therapy program.

Emily strongly believes feeding alone cannot be assessed or addressed without looking at the complex interaction between environment, behaviour, medical, sensory, motor, emotional and developmental skills of a child and their greater family. It is from this family-focused foundation that she continues to be moved by the dedication of the families she works with and the life-changing mealtime improvements that families strive so hard to achieve.

Emily’s clinical expertise and passion led her to co-found WHOLE Enteral – Australia’s first wholefood formulated meal-replacement tube feeding formula. Enrich, was launched into the market in 2022 and over 2025 has undergone packaging improvements and re-formulation to remain at the forefront of allergy standards and regulations. Emily is excited that the new and improved product will be available from early 2026 as it is so rewarding and fulfilling to improve daily mealtimes for tube-fed adults and children.

Presenter websites:
https://livelyeaters.com.au/
https://whole.net.au/

About the Virtual Education Program:
The FTAW Virtual Education Program brings together expert insights and lived experience to support individuals, families, and professionals navigating tube feeding, as well as anyone wanting to learn more about tube feeding.

View the full program: https://feedingtubeaware.com.au/event...

We sincerely thank everyone who contributed their expertise to make these videos possible for this free Virtual Education Program.

Important information:
All videos have been independently developed and shared by ausEE Inc. for community awareness and information purposes only. They are provided for general information and support and are not intended as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor or other healthcare provider. If a video raises questions for you, it’s important to discuss them with your doctor or other health professional.

Accessibility:
This video includes subtitles. If you have accessibility questions or need support accessing this content, please contact us at [email protected]. We will do our best to assist.