Title: Pediatric palliative care medicine

Biography:

Abstract

Pediatric palliative care is often misunderstood and often enters in to a child and families lives too late. The overall goal of pediatric palliative care is to improve the quality of life for a child with an underlying life-threatening illness or problem. It focuses on prevention and relief of suffering, regardless of the stage of disease, and comprehensively addresses the physical, psychosocial, or spiritual needs of the child and family. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes pediatric palliative care as “the active overall care of the child's body, mind, and spirit, and involves providing support to the family. It begins when illness is diagnosed and continues regardless of whether or not a child receives treatment directed at the disease”.  It is hoped that families of infants and children with a diagnosis where cure may not be possible are introduced to the palliative care team at the time of diagnosis, yet often is this the case. Palliative care for children ideally should be introduced from the beginning of diagnosis or treatment as it helps to ensure an ongoing focus on quality of life and relief of symptoms, so the child may continue to enjoy life.