Supporting the Family at the Time of Death

1. The sick child’s needs and concerns should be at the forefront of both the health care provider and the child’s family. 2. When a child is seriously ill, each person in the family is affected differently, hence their specific concerns and needs must be approached individually. 3. It is important that the child’s family should get the support and care they need during this difficult time. 4. The healthcare team should listen to family preferences and work with them and their child to plan care of the child (including symptom management) throughout the illness. This will include care for the child’s current needs and flexibility for future changes. 5. Discussing how providers can be affected by the end-of-life (EoL) care of a child is a keystone to address grief and bereavement and to prevent moral distress and burnout whilst caring for families.