Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) Program

What is parenteral nutrition?

For any of a long list of reasons, the intestines of some children are unable to digest food and provide the nutrition needed to live and grow. Parenteral nutrition is a way of providing that nutrition intravenously.

Parenteral nutrition solutions contain sugar, protein, fat, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals in a mixture tailored to the needs of the individual child, from seven-pound babies up to 130-pound teenagers. This formula is carefully developed by a registered dietician and calibrated to your child’s precise energy and medical needs.

The solution is delivered into a vein via a pre-programmed pump – bypassing the normal digestive system – usually at least 12 hours at a time. Over time, many children can be weaned off parenteral nutrition as their underlying medical condition improves.

Why give a child parenteral nutrition at home? Many of the conditions that would cause your child to need parenteral nutrition are chronic, but that does not mean they have to be in the hospital. Rather, we aim to help your child go home sooner and receive as much care as possible at home. Often children are able to receive their nutrition at night while they sleep, allowing them to lead normal, active lives.