Ordinary mealtimes under extraordinary circumstances : Routines and rituals of nutrition, feeding and eating in children with a gastrostomy and their families

Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to explore routines and rituals related to feeding, eating, and mealtimes in families that have a child with a gastrostomy tube (G-tube), from the perspectives of healthcare professionals, the children, and their parents. The thesis is based on four empirical studies. Study I is a longitudinal, quantitative study with the aim to describe children with developmental or acquired disorders receiving a G-tube, and to compare characteristics, contacts with healthcare professionals, and longitudinal eating outcomes. Findings from Study I demonstrated that children with developmental disorders needed G-tube feeding for longer than children with acquired disorders. Children with developmental disorders were also younger at G-tube placement, and had more multidisciplinary healthcare. These findings led to the subsequent studies focused specifically on children with developmental disorders. Study II applies mixed methods and explores everyday life, health care, and intervention goals during the first year following G-tube placement through the documentation in medical records. In Studies III and IV, the experiences of family mealtimes for children with a G-tube and their parents are collected through individual interviews that are analysed qualitatively. Triangulation of methods, participants, researchers, and data across the four studies is applied to search for confirmation between findings, as well as to identify areas of discrepancy. Ecocultural theory, the WHO framework ICF, and the concept of participation form the conceptual framework of the thesis. Taken together, findings from the studies describe how the main experiences of feeding, eating, and mealtime relate to specific impairments of the child, the collective value attached to family mealtimes, and the parental responsibility to harmonise competing interests and conflicts among family members and/or healthcare professionals. This thesis extends previous research by focusing on the ecocultural context of the child in combination with a dimensional understanding of health. The findings shed light on measures taken by the families themselves to adjust to and handle their daily lives, as well as spell out areas where more support is needed. Furthermore, this thesis suggests that an expanded focus on children’s participation in everyday mealtimes, and in the healthcare follow-up of G-tube feeding, is important in enhancing intervention outcomes.