The daily routine of mothers with children bearers of cerebral palsy

Abstract

Objective: To identify daily difficulties of the mothers with children bearers of cerebral paralysis. Methods: It was a descriptive study, with a qualitative approach, developed with 10 (ten) mothers of children with cerebral palsy, at the age group between two and eight years old, that were in treatment at the Nucleus of Treatment & Precocious Stimulation (NUTEP) of the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), for at least six months, during the period of August to September, 2006. To carry out the interviews, a semi-structured guide was applied. It was based on the knowledge of the mother on her child’s condition and what it brings about in her daily life; also, on both professional and family support. The data were analyzed through the content analysis method. Results: The following categories emerged from the data: the knowledge of the child’s condition; the difficulties faced by the mothers; interdisciplinary professional team support and family support. It was shown that the participants overpass diverse difficulties day-by-day close to their children, not receiving sufficient help from relatives in the carrying of the child and being responsible for all daily care. Final considerations: The support of a multidisciplinary team is important, by means of health education strategies that provide information to the mothers, consequently, improving the quality of life at the family environment.