Objectives: to describe home care practices performed by family members for maintaining the life of children with gastrostomy.
Methods: qualitative research using the Sensitive Creative method, with the Criatividade e Sensibilidade Corpo Saber [Corpo Saber Creativity and Sensitivity] dynamics. The participation included ten family caregivers of children with gastrostomy. The outpatient clinic of a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro was the setting. Lexical analysis was used through the IRaMuTeQ® software.
Results: Theme 1, entitled "The care for maintaining life performed by family members of children with gastrostomy at home", was analyzed, comprising three classes: "The gastrostomy tube home care routine"; "The care with the gastrostomy/stoma"; and "Food and medication home care routine of children with gastrostomy".
Final considerations: family caregivers used strategies to maintain the device and acquired new knowledge in this field, and in nursing competence, regarding stoma care, food administration, medication, and syringes.