Neonatal and perinatal palliative care pathway: A tertiary neonatal unit approach
palliative care; neonatology; perinatal; bereavement; care pathway
A lack of well-structured guideline or care pathway results in inadequate, inconsistent and fragmented palliative care (PC) for babies and their families. The impact on the families could be emotionally and psychologically distressing. Not all neonatal units have specialist PC clinicians or teams, and such units will benefit from a well-planned perinatal PC pathway. In this article, we discuss a tertiary neonatal unit perinatal care pathway which provides guidance from the point of diagnosis and establishment of eligibility of a baby for PC through to care after death and bereavement support for families. Planning PC with families which encourages family-centred and individualised approach is also discussed. Copyright © 2021 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
Akyempon AN; Aladangady N
BMJ Paediatrics Open
2021
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000820" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000820</a>
Gabapentin for the treatment of pain manifestations in children with severe neurological impairment: A single-centre retrospective review
child; human; retrospective study; clinical article; palliative care; pain; priority journal; review; alopecia/si [Side Effect]; disease severity; drug efficacy; drug substitution; drug withdrawal; gabapentin/ae [Adverse Drug Reaction]; gabapentin/dt [Drug Therapy]; gabapentin/pv [Special Situation for Pharmacovigilance]; gastroenterology; general paediatrics; hypertransaminasemia/si [Side Effect]; irritability; lethargy/si [Side Effect]; muscle twitch; neurodisability; neurologic disease; pain/dt [Drug Therapy]; pregabalin/dt [Drug Therapy]; pregabalin/pv [Special Situation for Pharmacovigilance]; treatment duration; treatment response; vomiting/dt [Drug Therapy]; vomiting/si [Side Effect]
Pain, irritability and feeding intolerance are common symptoms affecting quality of life in children with severe neurological impairment (SNI). We performed a retrospective study to explore the use of gabapentinoid medications for symptom control in children with SNI. Patients attending the palliative care or gastroenterology department being treated with gabapentin for irritability, vomiting or pain of unknown origin were included. Information was gathered retrospectively from medical documentation. Irritability was reduced in 30 of the 42 patients included. Gabapentin was discontinued in 15 children, 12 of whom then received pregabalin. Three children had a good response to pregabalin, six a minimal improvement and three no improvement. These results support the use of gabapentinoids in this patient cohort. Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019.
Collins A; Mannion R; Broderick A; Hussey S; Devins M; Bourke B
BMJ Paediatrics Open
2019
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000467" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000467</a>
Access to paediatric palliative care in children and adolescents with complex chronic conditions: A retrospective hospital-based study in Brussels, Belgium
adolescent; article; Belgium; cardiovascular disease; child; chronic disease; complex chronic condition; congenital disorder; data base; female; gastrointestinal disease; genetic disorder; groups by age; health care access; hematologic disease; hospital; hospital admission; hospitalized adolescent; hospitalized child; human; Icd-9; immune deficiency; infant; length of stay; major clinical study; male; malignant neoplasm; metabolic disorder; morbidity; neurologic disease; newborn; palliative therapy; patient care; patient referral; pediatric patient; pediatric ward; priority journal; respiratory tract disease; retrospective study; urinary tract disease
BACKGROUND: Paediatric complex chronic conditions (CCCs) are life-limiting conditions requiring paediatric palliative care, which, in Belgium, is provided through paediatric liaison teams (PLTs). Like the number of children and adolescents with these conditions in Belgium, their referral to PLTs is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to identify, over a 5-year period (2010-2014), the number of children and adolescents (0-19 years) living with a CCC, and also their referral to PLTs. METHODS: International Classification of Disease codes (ICD-9) corresponding to a CCC, as described by Feudtner et al, and national registration numbers were extracted from the databases of all hospitals (n=8) and PLTs (n=2) based in the Brussels region. Aggregated data and pseudonymised national registration number were transmitted to the research team by a Trusted Third Party (eHealth). Ages and diagnostic categories were calculated using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Over 5 years (2010-2014) in the Brussels region, a total of 22 721 children/adolescents aged 0-19 years were diagnosed with a CCC. Of this number, 22 533 were identified through hospital registries and 572 through PLT registries. By comparing the registries, we found that of the 22 533 children/adolescents admitted to hospital, only 384 (1.7%) were also referred to a PLT. CONCLUSION: In Belgium, there may be too few referrals of children and adolescents with CCC to PLTs that ensure continuity of care.
Friedel M; Gilson A; Bouckenaere D; Brichard B; Fonteyne C; Wojcik T; De Clercq E; Guillet A; Mahboub A; Lahaye M; Aujoulat I
BMJ Paediatrics Open
2019
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000547" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000547</a>
Improvement and Implementation of a National Individual Care Plan in Paediatric Palliative Care: A Study Protocol
Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing; Palliative Care methods; Child; Female; Health Personnel; Human; Male; Netherlands; Palliative Care; Parents
INTRODUCTION: Paediatric palliative care (PPC) is care for children with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions, and can involve complex high-tech care, which can last for months or years. In 2015, the National Individual Care Plan (ICP) for PPC was developed and has shown to be successful. The ICP can be seen as an instrument to facilitate coordination, quality and continuity of PPC. However, in practice, an ICP is often completed too late and for too few children. We aim to improve the coordination, quality and continuity of care for every child with a life-threatening or life-limiting condition and his/her family by further developing and implementing the ICP in the Netherlands. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: To evaluate the original ICP, ICP 1.0, interviews and questionnaires will be held among parents of children who have or have had an ICP 1.0 and healthcare professionals (HCPs) who used ICP 1.0. Based on the results, ICP 1.0 will be further developed. An implementation strategy will be written and the renewed ICP, ICP 2.0, will be nationally tested in an implementation period of approximately 7 months. During the implementation period, ICP 2.0 will be used for all children who are registered with Children's Palliative Care teams. After the implementation period, ICP 2.0 will be evaluated using interviews and questionnaires among parents of children who received ICP 2.0 and HPCs who worked with ICP 2.0. Based on these results, ICP 2.0 will be further optimised into the final version: ICP 3.0. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study received ethical approval. The ICP 3.0 will be disseminated through the Dutch Centre of Expertise in Children's Palliative Care, to ensure wide availability for the general public and HCPs within PPC. Additionally, we aim to publish study results in open-access, peer-reviewed journals and to present results at national and international scientific meetings.
Joren CY; Kars MC; Kremer LCM; Rippen H; Verhagen AAE; Aris-Meijer JL
BMJ Paediatrics Open
2023
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001677" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001677</a>
Use of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in Chinese paediatric patients receiving palliative care: A multicentre study
child; Palliative Care; article; controlled study; human; palliative therapy; Hong Kong; multicenter study; pediatric patient; massage; integrative medicine; Chinese medicine
Lam CS; Koon HK; Chan CW; Lee TYH; Li RCH; Li CK; Man SS; Cheung YT
BMJ Paediatrics Open
2022
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001701" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001701</a>
Advance care planning for adolescent patients with life-threatening neurological conditions: A survey of Japanese paediatric neurologists
Advance care planning;neurologic disease;neurologist;pediatrician;Adult;article;artificial ventilation;cross-sectional study;do not resuscitate order;Family;Female;health care survey;hematologist;Human;Japan;living will;Male;Middle Aged;priority journal;prognosis;terminal care
Objective To evaluate current attitudes and barriers to advance care planning for adolescent patients with life-threatening conditions among paediatric neurologists. Design Cross-sectional study. A self-reported questionnaire was administered to assess the practice of advance care planning, advance directives and barriers to advance care planning for adolescent patients with life-threatening conditions. All board-certified paediatric neurologists in Japan were surveyed and those who had experience in taking care of adolescent patients with decision-making capacity were analysed. We compared the results with those of paediatric haematologists reported previously. results In total, 186 paediatric neurologists were analysed. If the patient's prognosis was <3 months, only about 30% of paediatric neurologists reported having discussions with patients, such as 'do not attempt resuscitation' orders (28%) and ventilator use (32%), whereas more than 70% did discuss these topics with patients' families. About half of the paediatric neurologists did not discuss advance directives at the end of life with their patients, whereas over 75% did discuss advance directives with patients' families. Compared with paediatric haematologists, paediatric neurologists had more end-of-life discussions with patients, such as where treatment and care will take place, do not attempt resuscitation orders, and the use of a ventilator, if the patient's prognosis was >>1 year. conclusion About half or less of the paediatric neurologists discussed advance care planning and advance directives with their adolescent patients who had life-threatening conditions, even if the patient's prognosis was <3 months. They tended to discuss advance care planning and advance directives more with families than with patients themselves.
Yotani N;Kizawa Y;Shintaku H
BMJ Paediatrics Open
2017
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2017-000102" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/bmjpo-2017-000102</a>