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Review
. 2021 Oct;36(12):1120-1127.
doi: 10.1177/08830738211045238. Epub 2021 Oct 22.

Neuropalliative Care for Neonates

Sharla Rent  1 , Margarita Bidegain  1 , Margaret H Bost  1 , Chi Hornik  1   2 , Monica E Lemmon  1   3
Affiliations
Review

Neuropalliative Care for Neonates

Sharla Rent et al. J Child Neurol. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Many childhood neurologic conditions are first diagnosed in the perinatal period and shorten or seriously alter the lives of affected infants. Neonatal neuropalliative care incorporates core practices and teachings of both neurology and palliative care and is directed toward patients and families affected by serious neurologic conditions in the antenatal and immediate newborn period. This review outlines key considerations for neurologists hoping to provide a neuropalliative care approach antenatally, in the neonatal intensive care unit, and around hospital discharge. We explore 4 core domains of neuropalliative care: (1) family-centered communication, (2) prognostication, (3) decision making, and (4) pain and symptom management. We address special considerations in care at the end of life and in varied cultural and practice contexts.

Keywords: infant; neonate; pediatric; preterm; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: MEL has received compensation for medicolegal work. Other authors report no conflict of interest.

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