Resumo (EN)
Objective – To promote and evaluate the ability of caregivers in child feeding during the postoperative period after palatoplasty. Methods – The sample comprised 44 caregivers of children with cleft lip and palate, trained during hospitalization and evaluated on hospital discharge concerning the care related to child feeding after palatoplasty. The study was conducted in 2010, using a constructed and validated instrument. The ability of caregivers was evaluated using a quantitative instrument and associated with socioeconomic factors. The Fisher exact test was used to analyze the significance of differences between paired samples. Results – Among the caregivers, 86% were able for feeding after palatoplasty, and the socioeconomic factors and type of cleft did not influence the acquisition of abilities. Conclusions – Most caregivers were able for the care; the socioeconomic factors analyzed did not influence the ability for self-care; and 24 hours of hospitalization were sufficient for achievement of abilities related to care.