As práticas de cuidado da família à criança com gastrostomia no contexto domiciliar

Abstract

Technological development has led to an increase in life expectancy of children with special health care needs. Therefore, the gastrostomy has been used most often in children who have difficulties and risk to feed orally. The care for children with gastrostomy requires peculiar care demands essential to survival that will be carried out by family caregivers at home. Therefore, this study had as subject the care of caregivers to children with gastrostomy in the home context. Objectives: To know how the family caregiver performs the care of children with gastrostomy in a home scenario, reveal the challenges faced by family caregivers while taking care of children with gastrostomy at home and analyze strategies for that. The theoretical foundations were guided in the Colliére care concepts and the problem-based education of Paulo Freire. Methodology: qualitative research developed through the sensitive creative method, with the implementation of the dynamic "Corpo Saber" in the domicile, of children with gastrostomy, with 16 family caregivers. To analyze the results we used the speech analysis in its French chain. The speeches of the family in the process of feeding the children with gastrostomy revealed the need to grind food in order to make it more liquid and thus manage it more easily by the probe, the concern about nutritional value and food volume to be administered. About the drug administration identified the need to grind the solid drug, the concern about schedules and how to manage them. Thus, in caring for hygiene, discussed issues related to tools, device and the peristomal skin. As for the challenges, pointed out those related to the administration of the diet, those related to medication administration, the handling of the gastrostomy device, the acquisition of materials and the challenges of child care outside the home environment. It was concluded that to meet the demands of care required by children with gastrostomy, family members change their ways of caring and seek strategies looking for a better quality of life for the children. Therefore, knowing the care provided by family members, their challenges and strategies are a starting point in the development of new skills for nursing looking after children with gastrostomy when in the domicile.