Beyond the Feed: A Descriptive Qualitative Study of Parental Experiences in Managing Paediatric Feeding Disorders in Children With Chronic Conditions

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore the experiences of Singaporean parents managing care for children with underlying chronic medical conditions and Paediatric Feeding Disorders.

Design

Descriptive qualitative.

Methods

Data were collected via semi-structured interviews from 4 July 2024 to 4 October 2024. Fourteen English-speaking Singaporean parents were recruited via purposive sampling at an outpatient paediatric feeding clinic in a public tertiary hospital in Singapore. Data were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-step inductive approach.

Results

Three themes and nine sub-themes were identified. The three themes were: (1) Caregiver's Compass: From Survival to Stability, (2) Navigating Emotional Terrain in Caregiving, (3) Feeding Suck-cess: Systemic, Medical, and Societal Challenges.

Conclusion

The findings reflected the experiences of parents managing Paediatric Feeding Disorders. Parents transitioned from survival-focused to development-focused care, balancing medical guidance with parental instinct while navigating emotional strain, gendered caregiving roles, fragmented healthcare, and cultural conflicts.

Implications for Patient Care

Nurses are vital in supporting parents by recognising their lived experiences and caregiving challenges. By incorporating family-centered interventions, nurses can foster shared-decision making and provide culturally sensitive care. Providing tailored education and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams will enable nurses to empower caregivers with essential knowledge and resources, such as accessible and culturally attuned digital health solutions.

Impact

This study contributes to the limited body of qualitative research on parents of chronically ill children with Paediatric Feeding Disorders in Singapore and underscores the need for culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary support models to address the manifold responsibilities parents face in managing feeding issues. These insights may have broader implications for diverse populations managing similar caregiving complexities, informing family-centered interventions and healthcare policies that better support parents managing chronically ill children.

Reporting Method

COREQ checklist.

Patient or Public Contribution

This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.