ABSTRACT
As medical technology advances, infants and children with serious medical
conditions are living longer, requiring innovative approaches to their care.
Pediatric palliative care addresses the physical, emotional, psychosocial, and
spiritual needs of children and their families, striving to enhance their quality of
life, minimize suffering, and optimize function while providing opportunities
for personal and spiritual growth (Friebert, 2009; Wolfe, Hinds, & Sourkes,
2011). Ideally, pediatric palliative care is delivered in an integrated fashion
from the time an infant or child is diagnosed with a life-threatening condition
and during the entire trajectory of care, through death and bereavement
(American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000). The provision of such seamless care
requires the collaborative efforts of interdisciplinary team members working
in partnership with the child and family to develop an individualized plan
of care incorporating their goals, values, and preferences. Using a holistic
approach, children may receive palliative care at the same time as disease-
modifying therapies, with the mutual goal of maximizing quality of living while
minimizing suffering.
