Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Introduction
When a child or young person is admitted to hospital with a suspected eating disorder or if they need hospital care for a known eating disorder, it can be a very worrying time for families and carers.
This guide has been written to help families and carers understand what happens after a child or young person is admitted to the ward, so they can best support their loved ones.
Medical investigations
Often children and young people admitted are quite unwell or at risk of becoming unwell quickly if not looked after. A number of tests will be carried out, including;
- ECG
- Blood tests
- Weight and height—these will be blind which means that your child will not know them
- Lying and standing blood pressure and heart rate during the day but also lying overnight
Dietetic support and feeding
Dietitians are a crucial part of the team, working alongside doctors, nurses and specialist eating disorders team colleagues outside the hospital. Dietitians design and advise on a feeding plan designed to re-feed gradually if a child or young person has been eating very little prior to admission. Thereafter they monitor the weight gain and compliance with the feeding plan.
Nutrition and improving nutritional intake are a vital part of care children and young people receive. It helps support medical recovery and ensures children and young people are well enough to be discharged to respond to expert therapy in the community.
The re-feeding plan can seem very daunting to both the child/ young person and their families/carers. The plan is designed to gradually re-feed, whilst the doctors monitor any clinical response. Your child will also need to have some vitamins to support this.
The plan is based on 3 meals and 3 snacks per day as:
- Breakfast
- Mid-morning snack
- Lunch
- Mid-afternoon snack
- Tea
- Bed time snack
We will also expect your child to ensure that they are kept hydrated and they will need to have approx. 2000mls a day as ~8 x 200ml drinks plus the milk from the meal plan
Every day the amount of food is increased, which can be hard for both the child/ young person and their supporters, particularly as prior to admission often very little food is being taken.
It is an important part of treatment that all the food on the meal plan is eaten every day within a time limit of 30 mins for meals and 15 minutes for snacks. This is an essential part of improving physical health. We understand this is very hard, but it is important that parents and carers support the child and young person to do this.
If the child/ young person is unwilling or unable to eat all the prescribed food, an alternative can be given in the form of Fortisip Compact, which is a liquid food containing balanced nutrition and usually comes in different flavours.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Dietetics service.
About this information
Service:
Dietetics
Reference:
DT/069
Approval date:
21 May 2026
Review date:
1 May 2029
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.