Background:

chronic illness in children triggers a series of demands on caregiver families with emotional repercussions on family dynamics.

Objectives

: to identify the emotional experience of family caregivers of children with chronic illnesses at home.

Methodology:

qualitative, descriptive exploratory study, using a semi-structured interview directed at 16 families who care for children with chronic illness in a primary care unit in Alto Minho. Data was analyzed using the technique of content according analysis to Bardin (2011). The study respected the ethical-moral principles.

Results:

families of children with chronic illnesses at home experience a range of emotions and feelings: anger; frustration; uncertainty, stress, suffering that comes from emotional fragility, such as guilt, crying and anger. Through the family members' narratives, we could verify that their experience as a caregiver is surrounded by several remarkable events, which highlight the importance of previous experiences and the therapeutic approach of health professionals.

Conclusion:

taking care of a chronically ill child at home requires health professionals, namely nurses, to focus on the emotional dimension of family members, thus reinforcing their importance in the implementation of multidimensional interventions that promote literacy and their emotional self-management.