Pediatric Palliative Care

Abstract

Pediatric palliative care and hospice medicine is a field in which a multidisciplinary team assists in the management and treatment of infants, children, and young adults with a serious condition. A therapeutic relationship is created among the team, patients, and their caregivers to address total pain. This encompasses exploration of physical pain, social, spiritual, and emotional pain. Patient-centered and family-centered shared decision-making is paramount when setting and revisiting goals of care with patients and their families. Consider a checklist when faced with a dying patient so that the family and team feel supported.

Keywords: Bereavement; End-of-life care; Nonpharmacologic therapies; Pediatric palliative care; Total pain.