End-of-Life Care of Pediatric with Advanced Illness

Palliative care for children is a type of comprehensive, specialized treatment for children with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses. The main goal is to alleviate the illness’s stress and symptoms. The objective is to enhance the family’s and the child’s quality of life. This includes interventions focused on relieving symptoms, nursing care, and understanding the religious and spiritual needs of the patient’s family. Thorough evaluation of the child’s needs is imperative, which should then be followed by the formulation and discussion of a care plan involving both the child and their family or caregivers. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to remain composed when they first encounter a child who requires end-of-life care. It is critical to acknowledge that parents are already experiencing substantial anxiety, and any further concerns introduced by the healthcare professional would only add to their burden (Committee on Approaching Death: Addressing Key End of Life Issues and Institute of Medicine, Dying in America: improving quality and honoring individual preferences near the end of life, National Academies Press (US), Washington, DC, 2015).