# The Lived Experiences of Children Who Have Undergone Kidney Replacement Therapy and Their Families: Protocol for a Qualitative Systematic Review

## TL;DR

This study will review the experiences of children on kidney treatment and their families to create a better home care program.

## Contribution

The review will synthesize qualitative data to develop a self-care program for children and families undergoing kidney replacement therapy.

## Key findings

- Children on dialysis or post-transplant face physical, mental, and social challenges at home.
- Strict care routines and limited social resources affect their quality of life.
- A systematic review will guide the creation of a tailored self-care program.

## Abstract

In many high-income countries, 5 to 10 children per million of the age-related population start kidney replacement therapy (KRT), which includes both dialysis (peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis) and kidney transplantation (KT) for end-stage kidney disease. After peritoneal dialysis is introduced, or after KT, self-care at home typically becomes the main focus. Providing support for each developmental stage and transition period in the treatment process from dialysis to KT is an urgent issue.

This review aims to synthesize the lived experiences of children undergoing KRT and their families. We will use identified themes to develop a self-care program aimed at solving the life tasks of children and their families.

A search strategy will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and will be conducted in 3 steps: an initial limited search, a comprehensive database search, and a reference search of the included articles. MEDLINE (EBSCO), CINAHL Plus, and PsycINFO will be searched with no restriction on language or publication dates. The study selection, critical appraisal, data extraction, and data synthesis will be performed according to Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for systematic reviews of qualitative research. Final synthesis will be assessed using the ConQual (confidence in the output of qualitative research synthesis) approach.

The review will include studies focusing on the experiences of children with KRT and their families. These experiences include physical, mental, and social issues, hygiene care, diet, fluid intake, medication, strict infection prevention, delays in growth and development, restrictions on social life, and a lack of social resources. This is an important issue because after starting dialysis, or after KT, many children are treated at home and experience these issues in their local communities and homes. As of May 2025, the authors have conducted 2 pilot searches to test and refine keywords of results with the help of the librarian and have identified 1003 studies for screening in MEDLINE. This systematic review is scheduled to be completed by April 2026.

This systematic review synthesizes qualitative evidence regarding the daily life experiences of children and their families after initiating KRT, contributing to the development of a self-care program that enhances their quality of life.