Trata-se de um estudo descritivo e exploratório, com o objetivo de apreender, por meio de entrevista, a experiência da criança e do adolescente com doença crônica, tal como ela é vivenciada por eles. Os resultados revelam que as crianças e os adolescentes têm seu cotidiano modificado pelas freqüentes hospitalizações, pelos limites ditados pela doença e tratamento, ocasionando mudanças, especialmente no processo de escolarização. Considerando que a criança e o adolescente vivenciam sentimentos e situações complexas, no cotidiano da doença crônica, é importante que os profissionais de saúde conheçam essas demandas e as incorporem ao plano de cuidados, visando a uma intervenção efetiva, para a promoção do crescimento e desenvolvimento.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most stressful and prevalent symptom in paediatric oncology patients. This integrative review aimed to identify, analyse and synthesise the evidence of non-pharmacological intervention studies to manage fatigue and psychological stress in a paediatric population with cancer. Eight electronic databases were used for the search: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, LILACS, EMBASE, SCOPUS, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library. Initially, 273 articles were found; after the exclusion of repeated articles, reading of the titles, abstracts and the full articles, a final sample of nine articles was obtained. The articles were grouped into five categories: physical exercise, healing touch, music therapy, therapeutic massage, nursing interventions and health education. Among the nine studies, six showed statistical significance regarding the fatigue and/or stress levels, showing that the use of the interventions led to symptoms decrease. The most frequently tested intervention was programmed physical exercises. It is suggested that these interventions are complementary to conventional treatment and that their use can indicate an improvement in CRF and psychological stress.

By gaining knowledge and further understanding about valid coping strategies during chemotherapy treatment, health professionals can mobilize personal and material resources from the children, health teams, and institutions aiming to potentiate the use of these strategies to make treatments the least traumatic.