Impacts of Chronic Kidney Disease on occupational performance of children and adolescents on hemodialysis

Introduction: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) may cause great impacts on areas of occupational performance of children and adolescents on hemodialysis. The identification of these occupations can guide the practice of occupational therapy, enabling specific interventions as well as the creation of policies and guidelines in the field. Objective: To identify the impact of CKD on the occupational performance of children and adolescents on hemodialysis. Method: Twenty-one children and adolescents with CKD undergoing hemodialysis treatment participated in the study. The tools applied were the profile identification questionnaire and the semi-structured interview Canadian Measurement of Occupational Performance (COPM). Numerical variables were described as measures of central tendency and dispersion, and for categorical variables were calculated the frequencies. Results: 13 impacted occupations were identified, in which 9 are related to play/leisure , 1 to productivity/ school, 3 to self-care. In addition, 57% of the sample dropped out of school and 23% repeated one school year or more. Conclusion: Impacts on different areas of occupational performance, mainly related to play and leisure, have been identified. Children and adolescents present specific demands related to their age ranges. Therefore, the occupational therapist, considering this specificity, can enable these clients to improve their performance in occupations and resume significant roles in their lives.