Abstract

SUEIRO, Isis Moura; SILVA, Liliane Faria; GOES, Fernanda Garcia Bezerra  and  MORAES, Juliana Rezende Montenegro Medeiros. Nursing in Response to the Challenges Faced by the Family in Feeding Children in Chemotherapy. Aquichan [online]. 2015, vol.15, n.4, pp.508-520. ISSN 1657-5997.  https://doi.org/10.5294/aqui.2015.15.4.6.

Objectives: Identify the challenges families face in feeding children with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy, and describe the strategies used to overcome those challenges and the possibilities for action with respect to nursing care. Method: This is a descriptive qualitative study conducted in May 2013 through semi-structured interviews with 12 relatives of children in chemotherapy who were hospitalized at a public pediatric facility in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Thematic analysis was used to process the data. Results: The analysis showed the adverse effects of drugs on gastrointestinal system and adapting to dietary changes at home and in the hospital are some of the challenges families face in feeding children who are undergoing chemotherapy. The strategies they use to overcome those challenges include asking and offering foods the child likes and making food more attractive. Counseling and support for the family and the child are the primary aspects of nursing care emphasized by the families. Conclusions: It is important to conduct nursing care in a way that minimizes the damage resulting from the disease and its treatment.

Keywords : Pediatric nursing; chemotherapy; neoplasias; food; health of the child.

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