A hospitalização na oncologia pediátrica representada a partir da voz e do desenho

Abstract

Objective: To analyze children's experiences of hospitalization in an oncology clinic and the challenges they face in the face of their illness through voice and drawing. Methods: This is a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory study, based on the Sensitive Creative Method, conducted with four children, aged between 7 and 12, who were diagnosed with acute lymphoid leukemia and were undergoing chemotherapy at a referral hospital for cancer treatment, located in the municipality of Santarém - Pará. The data was obtained by means of a semi-structured interview combined with the “Inquiry” design-story collection technique. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results: Three thematic categories were identified through the drawings and speeches: feelings and emotions mobilized in the hospitalization process portrayed by the voice and drawing; children's references to cancer; self-image affected by cancer treatment. The children were able to express their feelings and hidden sensations triggered by hospitalization, indicating the impacts of diagnosis and treatment on family dynamics. In addition, it was possible to observe that the self-image of pediatric cancer patients is significantly affected during the illness process. Conclusion: The use of drawing as an expressive resource proves to be a valuable strategy for accessing feelings, promoting humanized care and minimizing the traumatic effects of hospitalization.The study contributes to the care and academic spheres by highlighting the importance of humanized practices in child care, as well as offering the children themselves a means of communication that values their subjectivity. 

  Key words: Hospitalized Child, Children's Health, Oncology