AN OTLEY mum and her MP have launched a campaign to raise awareness about tube feeding.

Two year old Isla Shaw, who has several complex medical problems, relies - like thousands of others in the UK - on a tube fitted to her body.

Tube feeding allows children and adults who are unable to eat by mouth to get the nutrition they need.

Isla's mum, Shona Mellon, and MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) have teamed up to promote Feeding Tube Awareness Week 2017.

The global event, which runs until Friday, February 10 aims to highlight both the benefits and challenges of tube feeding.

Mr Mulholland, inspired by Isla's story, has lodged a Parliamentary motion congratulating those working for the campaign - and calling for more Government support.

Shona said: "Feeding Tube Awareness Week is a really important way to raise the importance of feeding tubes to those children and young people who rely on them, but also to highlight the challenges many families face.

"As one of the many families in this position, I am really keen to see people in the UK get behind Feeding Tube Awareness Week and help raise awareness.

"I’m delighted our local MP has taken this up and raised it in Parliament, and we hope many other MPs will follow suit.

"It does, for a change, make you feel as if someone is listening and I would urge other families and campaigners to ask their MP to sign Early Day Motion 924 and show their support for all who are tube fed and their families."

She added: "From a parent’s point of view the very beginning, when a child is first using a feeding tube, is very stressful.

"You can feel like you have failed in some way or let your child down - this isn’t the case at all, but it can be a natural reaction."

Mr Mulholland also used a recent Health Question in the House of Commons, to highlight the issue.

He said: "I am very pleased to support Shona and promote Feeding Tube Awareness Week in the UK.

"This is a worldwide initiative and it is time is get behind it in this country.

"There is a real need to increase awareness of feeding tubes and the issues and challenges faced by the children who need to use them and their families.

"There are a lot of complications to having a child who uses a feeding tube and families and carers go through a lot of hard times.

"Simply making sure your child is properly nourished becomes a challenge and different methods work better for different children.

"It is also important to raise awareness as sometimes a lack of knowledge can lead to awkwardness or even stigma and people, especially those who work with children and in our schools, need to have a good understanding of feeding tubes."

Liz Curtis of The Lily Foundation added: "As a leading UK charity for Mitochondrial Disease we welcome anything to increase public awareness and understanding of tube feeding.

"This will help break down barriers for children and young people who are unable to eat by mouth, or who are unable to receive enough nutrition from oral eating. We fully support this motion."

To find out more visit feedingtubeawarenessweek.org .