(Extended) Family and friends can bring a whole new dynamic to this issue. They're less likely to understand the significance of the tube and don't want the tubie to look anything different than their idea of "normal." They believe the tube is something private. Something to cover up, and something that others simply "don't need to know" about.
I'm here to tell you why they're wrong. Simply put:
Feeding tubes help us eat. They help us get nutrition so we can grow and stay alive just like with any other person who gets all of their nutrition orally.
Swimming in pools and at beaches is completely okay and supported by not only tube manufacturers but also doctors. Not only is it plain out fun but it can be therapeutic, too!
It's not gross, unsightly or unhygienic. If a piece of life-saving silicone that is smaller than an inch (let alone any size tube) effects someone that much that they'll ask that person to cover up, or think that they as a person are less beautiful because they're unapologetic about it... I think they might be a different problem! To make it a little easier, I made this fun chart:
To tubie parents who are nervous about the swim season:
Know that whether or not you choose to cover up your tubie's tube, all options are okay! Sometimes one pieces are so much cuter than two pieces. And sometimes trunks with a shirt or a wetsuit look more awesome when compared to only trunks! Maybe you want to cover up the tube with tape or Tegaderm to keep the sand from getting onto the stoma... That's fine. Maybe you'll cover it up so your tubie will be less self-conscious. That's okay, too. All suits are okay. But let it be your (or simply your tubie's if they're old enough) decision! Not from the false idea that tubies are less than or weirder than because of that tiny piece of silicone.
Rock on, parents!
Court Ro
