For Kids With Feeding Tubes, These Adorable Tube Pads From Etsy Are *So* Important

If you have ever had a child that needed a feeding tube, you are likely familiar with the cloth covers that can be made or purchased to protect the area where the tube is inserted into the abdomen. For those unfamiliar with all that comes with the territory of tube feeding, you may not be aware that this type of accessory exists. Not only do these covers provide protection and comfort, they can be a spark of fun for a process that is typically anything but enjoyable. The feeding tube covers on Etsy are not only a necessity for kids who need nutritional feeding tubes, but they come in adorable designs that help kids feel more like a kid and less like a patient.

These small fabric pads feature buttons that snap the circular fabric around the insertion area to help absorb any leakage from the stoma and tube, as well as help reduce irritation in that area, according to the Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation website. While it is most definitely something that can be a struggle for little kids, keeping their tiny fingers off of their tube and the insertion area can prove to be a battle many parents hate fighting. However, if a child has a fun tube cover, the battle may be less intense and the area will be protected.

Etsy sellers have developed a myriad of enchanting designs that kids can wear to protect their feeding tube insertion area. Not only are the designs featuring animals, cartoon characters, and fun patterns exciting and kid-friendly, they can help kids feel more included in society despite the different way they receive their nutrition. Every kid deserves to feel special, and just like how having a fun design on a backpack helps kids show off their style and feel like they fit in at school, tube covers with kid-friendly designs can do the same for the kids that need them.

While the unicorn has reigned supreme as the animal of choice when it comes to kid style for the past few years, sloths and llamas are seeing a huge surge in popularity recently. If you've been shopping for school supplies already this year, you may have noticed that anything and everything that a sloth or a llama can go on now features the snuggly creatures — from pencil pouches to lunch boxes. Now, thanks to Etsy seller AdoraBellyDesigns, feeding tube covers are also in on the sloth and llama love. Aren't these sloths smiling on branches just the cutest thing ever?

For kids who prefer to sport their favorite characters on their tube covers, Toy Story fans can go "to infinity, and beyond" with AdoraBellyDesigns' fantastic Buzz and Woody tube covers. Also available are Trolls tube covers for kids who love to sing along to all of the amazing music from Poppy, Branch, and the whole gang. Because kids love so many different characters, there are a whole host of Etsy sellers who have created a variety of designs featuring characters that kids know and love. Etsy seller Fashion Tubies has the entire Paw Patrol crew, a collection of Disney princesses, and various superhero characters available on soft tube covers.

Even kids who are past the character and animal phase can still have tube covers that are anything but boring. Kids and teens can express their creativity and individuality by sporting a tube cover with their favorite sports team logo or a unique geometric design. To top it all off, there are even tube covers designed to look like delicious donuts topped with sprinkles and icing thanks to Etsy seller PiQuuHandMade.

And the cover options do not stop at the basic round design that is most common for covering the insertion area. Unique shapes featuring dinosaurs, princess crowns, and even holiday designs with Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween shapes are available on Etsy.

Even if you need additional tube cover accessories like connection covers, pump bag covers, or tube stickers, Etsy sellers have created a wide variety of options with plenty of kid-friendly designs to choose from to help kids that need these types of supplies feel a little bit more like a kid, and help them focus less on the struggles of needing a feeding tube, which speaks to the level of inclusion that these creators have brought to the marketplace.