Palliative Care in Hospitalized Children and Adolescents with Cancer: the Role of Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Introduction: Palliative care is characterized by relieving symptoms and maintaining quality of life of patients with terminal illness and their families. Objective: To describe the role of the occupational therapist with children and adolescents with cancer, hospitalized and in exclusive Palliative Care. Method: There was a descriptive study of visits of occupational therapy conducted with this population in a pediatric oncology ward in the interior of São Paulo, from January 2010 to August 2012, by reading the charts and records in a specific form of occupational therapy, seeking to identify the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the objectives, resources and outcomes of care. It was performed a quantitative analysis with a complementary qualitative approach. Results: 14 children and adolescents from 1 year and 11 months to 18 years, with different diagnoses, were treated. There was a variation between 1 to 11 visits of occupational therapy, and the patients in the study were hospitalized from 1 to 6 times after the establishment of palliative care. The objectives of occupational therapy were: strengthening relationships; assist in hospitalization coping and in the worsening of disease and death; promote occupational performance and encourage performance skills. These objectives were achieved by using a variety of strategies and resources. Conclusion: The role of Occupational Therapy in Palliative Care helps to maintain the quality of life of children and adolescents, providing their active participation in order to build, together with family and therapist, their daily life and their history, until death.