Social prejudice in children living with gastrostomy: mothers’ perception

Objective  to analyze mothers’ perception of the prejudice faced by children with gastrostomy.

Method  a qualitative descriptive study, developed using the Creative Sensitive Method, carrying out five Body Knowledge dynamics with ten mothers of children in early childhood who have been living with a gastrostomy at home for more than a year. The setting was the outpatient clinic of a federal hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a reference in the care of children with special health needs. Lexical analysis was applied with the aid of IRaMuTeQ^® software.

Results  the daily struggle of the family of children with gastrostomy in facing prejudice and its limitations corresponds to the class of words that reveals the social prejudice faced by children and their families, due to feeding being carried out in an unconventional way, which has negative repercussions on mothers’ mental health.

Final considerations and implications for practice  mothers encounter resistance from people in accepting feeding through a tube, facing social prejudice together with the children, which can compromise the mental health of both. It is hoped that this study will contribute to maternal strengthening and empowerment in the face of limitations and provide support so that they can live free from social prejudice.

Keywords:
Caregivers; Gastrostomy; Home; Nursing; Prejudice