Interventions of health education in mothers of children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

The functional performance of children with cerebral palsy is directly influenced by the therapeutic guidelines offered to caregivers. Objective: To evaluate the impact of educational health interventions in mothers of children with cerebral palsy about the guidelines of care. Methods: A qualitative interventional study developed in three stages between April and October of 2015 in the Núcleo de Tratamento e Estimulação Precoce of the Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brazil. The participants were six mothers of children with cerebral palsy. In the first stage we used the technique of individual semi-structured interviews, full recorded and transcribed for the apprehension and exploration of the speeches; In the second stage, taking into account the saturation and categorization of the speeches, a protocol was developed and applied by the researchers divided into eight interventions of health education in the group of mothers then in the third stage the individual interviews were redone for new exploration and comparison of speeches. The analysis of the data of the speeches was made through content analysis according to the proposal of Bardin. Results: Satisfaction reports on receiving care, improvements in the handling of children, greater safety in the implementation of therapeutic guidelines, better perception about the development of the child with the treatment and higher concern with self-care. Conclusions: The educational interventions promoted a better perception of mothers of children with cerebral palsy about the therapeutic orientations received from the health team, since they are based on the family-centered model offering conditions to the mothers for the confrontation and reduction of the physical overload, emotional and psychological; through self-care in health, and information about means and adaptations for the adequate continuity of child care.