Do gastrostomies prevent hospitalizations?

Children with intellectual disability frequently undergo gastrostomy in order to continue enteral feeds. Indications for gastrostomy include failure to thrive, dysphagia and pulmonary aspiration, or even oral aversion. These children often have complex, comorbid conditions, such as cerebral palsy, seizures, or cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Parents are thus often challenged by the decision whether to proceed with gastrostomy, as a feeding tube...