Family management of care for children with chronic conditions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nayara Luiza Henriques, Maísa Mara Lopes Macêdo, Melissa Joice de Abreu Felizardo and 2 others
PMID 41059828WHAT IT FOUND
Families of children with chronic conditions said pandemic closures pushed them to take over therapy, school and hygiene at home.
They felt more united but underprepared, and worried about their child's development and infection risk.
Key findings
01After in-person physical therapy stopped, caregivers said they had to carry out physical therapy at home.
02Belief that children were more vulnerable to COVID-19 led families to limit outings, restrict visits and increase hygiene measures.
03Caregivers reported more family unity and shared care, while most expressed satisfaction with the adjusted routine.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Twenty-four families from two hospitals in one Brazilian city were studied, so the experience may not match families with different conditions, incomes or services. Telephone interviews could miss nonverbal cues and may have been affected by distractions or poor connection. The study did not interview all family members; some families had only one caregiver, and three did not respond to the second-caregiver request. Only 12 caregivers answered questions about the future, so the future-expectation theme rests on part of the group. This is a qualitative experience study, not a test of whether home care, telehealth or family-led therapy improved child outcomes. The children were aged 3 to 4 years and were selected from neonatal intensive care discharge records, which may not represent older children or those not hospitalized.
Declared interests
The paper reports funding from the National Council for Scientific Development and the Minas Gerais State Research Support Foundation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that family-run home therapy is adequate. Caregivers reported taking over physiotherapy and school activities, but some said they were untrained and that professional therapy was not dispensable.