Matouk Zbaeda Consultant Paediatrician and Chief of Paediatrics at Mediclinic Al-Ain Hospital, UAE. Consultant Paediatrician, Chief of Paediatrics and Medical Director in various Government and private health facilities, Al-Ain and Abu-Dhabi, UAE

The decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment from a child is always a difficult decision. As health care professionals and parents seek to do what is best for a child, they may face the difficult challenge of determining when the benefits of a medical treatment no longer justify the burdens imposed on the child. These decisions are very complex especially when dealing with children and where other factors including cultural, religious and legal are complex and over-riding. Real life cases will be presented and discussed to highlight the ongoing dilemmas.