Exploring spirituality, religion and life philosophy among parents of children receiving palliative care: a qualitative study
child; Palliative Care; adult; article; female; human; male; palliative therapy; aged; coping; knowledge; Spain; personal experience; terminal disease; parent; qualitative research; health care personnel; decision making; interview; pediatric hospital; clinician; religion; philosophy; religiosity; Southern European
Background: Few studies have examined the spiritual environment of parents of children receiving palliative care in Southern European countries, which are mostly characterized by secularization (or the abandonment of traditional religiosity) and an increase of cultural and religious diversities resulting in a much broader spectrum of spiritual and religious beliefs. This study aimed to explore the parents' own spirituality, religiosity, and philosophy of life in coping with the care of their child with palliative needs. Methods: Qualitative interviews of 14 parents of children included in a palliative care program in a pediatric hospital in Barcelona, Spain. Inclusion criteria were parents of children who have been cared for the palliative care program for a minimum of 3 months and who displayed a willingness to talk about their personal experiences and gave written consent. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed by an independent service, and analyzed on a case-by-case basis using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: The three domains identified were life philosophy, relational, and transcendent. Life philosophy included principles that guided parents' decision-making, and how the onset of their child's serious illness had promoted a change in their values. Relational was focused on how they perceived themselves (e.g. motherhood), others (e.g. one's own child exceptionality), and the way they believed others perceived and supported them (e.g. relatives, friends, and healthcare providers). The transcendent domain involved God-related concepts, divinity and divine intervention (e.g. a miracle as an interpretive framework for that which cannot be explained within scientific knowledge limitations). Conclusions: Inflexible categories identifying parents as having a particular religious faith tradition are not sufficient to capture the interrelation of knowledges (ethical, religious, scientific) that each parent generates when faced with their child receiving palliative care. Clinicians should explore parents' spirituality in an individualized way that responds to the uniqueness of their experiential process.
Miquel P; Clemente I; Ciccorossi M
BMC Palliative Care
2024
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/10.1186/s12904-024-01345-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1186/s12904-024-01345-2</a>
Serious news communication between clinicians and parents impacts parents' experiences, decision-making, and clinical care for critically ill neonates
Infant Newborn; Critical Illness; article; human; newborn; quality of life; palliative therapy; health care; parent; interpersonal communication; shared decision making; clinical outcome; neonatal intensive care unit; communication disorder; critically ill patient; decision making; prenatal diagnosis; semi structured interview; conversation; personal experience; purposive sample; clinician
Physicians often disclose serious news with patients and families; however, many clinicians experience anxiety around these conversations.1 Fear of their patients' and their own emotional reactions may cause providers to avoid these conversations rather than engage with empathy.1 Poor communication in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) when an infant is critically ill or dies can have deleterious effects on decision-making and long-term parental coping.2 Provision of information is imperative to shared decision-making about clinical therapies or care goals.3 Failure to effectively convey information could lead to decisions that do not align with parents' values, associated with long-term grief, decisional conflict, and regret.4, 5 Additionally, inability of clinicians to listen and engage with parents can lead to mistrust in the care team.3, 6 Parents recall in detail how serious news is delivered even years after hospitalisation,7 and their perceptions of these interactions impact their well-being.4, 7 Despite this, few studies have investigated parents' perspectives on serious news communication in the NICU. In this study, we sought to better characterise the communication problems parents of critically ill infants perceive in the antenatal and neonatal period around serious news conversations and to identify potential clinical care consequences arising from these communication issues...
Kukora S; Krenz C; DeVries R; Spector-Bagdady K
Acta Paediatrica
2024
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/10.1111/apa.17084" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1111/apa.17084</a>
How Do Children With Medical Complexity Die? A Scoping Review
Child; child; cohort analysis; human; chronic disease; quality of life; North America; systematic review; review; health care utilization; personal experience; Only Child; clinical practice; child death; qualitative research; knowledge gap; place of death; chronic patient; biological marker
Introduction: Advancement in medical expertise and technology has led to a growing cohort of children with medical complexity (CMC), who make up a rising proportion of childhood deaths. However, end of life in CMC is poorly understood and little is known about illness trajectories, communication, and decision-making experiences. Objective: To synthesize existing literature and characterize the end-of-life experience in CMC. Methods: A literature search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar was conducted up to August 26, 2021. Studies reporting CMC at end of life were included and the extracted data were analyzed descriptively. Findings: Of 1535 publications identified, 23 studies were included. Most studies (15/23 [65%]) were published from 2015 to 2021 and were quantitative in nature (20/23 [87%]). The majority of studies that extracted data from a single country (18/20 [90%]) originated from North America. Study outcomes were categorized into four main domains: (1) place of death (2) health care use (3) interventions received or withdrawn (4) communication, and end-of-life experiences. The weighted percentage of in-hospital CMC deaths was 80.6%. Studies reported that CMC had increased health care use and were subjected to more intensive interventions at end of life compared with non-CMC. Qualitative studies highlighted the following themes: Intrinsic prognostic uncertainty, differing perspectives of the child's quality of life, the chronic illness experience, a desire to have parental expertise acknowledged, surprise at the terminal event, the experience of multiple losses, with an overarching theme of the need for compassionate care at end of life. Conclusions: This scoping review highlighted important characteristics of end of life in CMC, outlining the emerging evidence and knowledge gaps on this topic. A better understanding of this cohort of seriously and chronically ill children would serve to inform clinical practice, service development, and future research.
Chan Ng GM; Bourassa MH; Patel H
Journal of Palliative Medicine
2024
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/10.1089/jpm.2023.0322" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1089/jpm.2023.0322</a>
The most painful estrangement: Death at birth
article; human; social support; palliative therapy; coping; mourning; stillbirth; guilt; depression; emotion; identity; suicide; posttraumatic stress disorder; personal experience; bereavement; avoidance behavior; emotional stress; child death; prevalence; decision making; family history; regret; emotional support; lactation; sadness; fear; continuing education; sorrow; community care; stigma; spontaneous abortion; self concept; shame; loneliness; alienation; complicated grief/dt [Drug Therapy]; family stress; naltrexone/dt [Drug Therapy]; rage; social bonding; traffic accident
More than two million babies a year die during or before birth around the world, evoking grief that is traumatic. Because the psychological, physical, social, and emotional ramifications of grief following a baby's death are so enduring and intense, social support is essential to helping families cope. In particular, emotional acts of caring and judicious use of language are crucial, avoiding the use of the terms that belittle the value of the baby's life and the importance of the baby as part of a family history. Traumatic grief informed continuing education can aid providers in increasing sensitivity to the needs of grieving families and minimize additional trauma and suffering in the aftermath of such loss.
Cacciatore J
Seminars in Perinatology
2024
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/10.1016/j.semperi.2023.151870" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1016/j.semperi.2023.151870</a>
Balancing pandemic public health restrictions and family support at the end of life: palliative care and bereavement experiences of parents whose child died during the COVID-19 pandemic
child; Canada; terminal care; article; controlled study; female; human; male; chronic disease; social support; palliative therapy; interview; parental attitude; health care policy; health care access; health service; adolescent; infant; physical activity; public health; qualitative research; coping behavior; coronavirus disease 2019; risk assessment; health status; personal experience; bereavement support; health care facility; family support; pandemic; infection control
Background: Little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families of children with chronic life-limiting conditions who died during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this qualitative study, parents of a child (< 18 years) who died during the COVID-19 pandemic from an underlying chronic medical condition were interviewed to explore how the pandemic impacted end-of-life care and bereavement experiences. Parents of children followed by the pediatric palliative care service were recruited from a large children's hospital in eastern Canada. Results: Twenty bereaved parents, consisting of 12 mothers and 8 fathers, participated in individual interviews between January and December 2021. Findings identified impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's end-of-life care, experiences in hospital and at home, and family bereavement processes and experiences. Most parents experienced substantial worry about their child's physical status and the additional risk of COVID-19 given her/his vulnerability. Parents also struggled to navigate public health protocols as they attended to their child's needs and their family's desire for engagement and support. Key facilitators that helped families cope included a strong network of formal and informal supports. Conclusion: Implications highlight the need to critically reflect on pandemic care in the context of co-occurring end-of-life processes. Findings amplify the need to balance necessary infection control practices with access to essential supports for families.
Rapoport A; Nicholas DB; Zulla RT
BMC Palliative Care
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/10.1186/s12904-023-01280-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1186/s12904-023-01280-8</a>
A meta-ethnography of how children and young people with chronic non-cancer pain and their families experience and understand their condition, pain services, and treatments
Humans; Child; child; Adolescent; Quality of Life; human; inflammatory bowel disease; quality of life; Family; chronic pain; social support; family; child parent relation; social work; prognosis; systematic review; sibling; Chronic Pain; Analgesics Opioid; ethnography; Anthropology Cultural; personal experience; cultural anthropology; outcome assessment; health care personnel; wellbeing; health service; disease severity; adolescent; social isolation; headache; analgesia; pediatric patient; abdominal pain; social care; peer group; patient-reported outcome; pain assessment; Review; racism; narcotic analgesic agent; pain severity; fibromyalgia; complex regional pain syndrome; endometriosis; family life; juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; migraine; musculoskeletal pain
Background: Chronic non-cancer pain in childhood is widespread, affecting 20% to 35% of children and young people worldwide. For a sizeable number of children, chronic non-cancer pain has considerable negative impacts on their lives and quality of life, and leads to increased use of healthcare services and medication. In many countries, there are few services for managing children’s chronic non-cancer pain, with many services being inadequate. Fourteen Cochrane Reviews assessing the effects of pharmacological, psychological, psychosocial, dietary or physical activity interventions for managing children’s chronic non-cancer pain identified a lack of high-quality evidence to inform pain management. To design and deliver services and interventions that meet the needs of patients and their families, we need to understand how children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families experience pain, their views of services and treatments for chronic pain, and which outcomes are important to them. Objectives: 1. To synthesise qualitative studies that examine the experiences and perceptions of children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families regarding chronic non-cancer pain, treatments and services to inform the design and delivery of health and social care services, interventions and future research. 2. To explore whether our review findings help to explain the results of Cochrane Reviews of intervention effects of treatments for children's chronic non-cancer pain. 3. To determine if programme theories and outcomes of interventions match children and their families’ views of desired treatments and outcomes. 4. To use our findings to inform the selection and design of patient-reported outcome measures for use in chronic non-cancer pain studies and interventions and care provision to children and their families. The review questions are:. 1. How do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families conceptualise chronic pain?. 2. How do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families live with chronic pain?. 3. What do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families think of how health and social care services respond to and manage their child’s chronic pain?. 4. What do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families conceptualise as ‘good’ chronic pain management and what do they want to achieve from chronic pain management interventions and services?. Search methods: Review strategy: we comprehensively searched 12 bibliographic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo and grey literature sources, and conducted supplementary searches in 2020. We updated the database searches in September 2022. Selection criteria: To identify published and unpublished qualitative research with children aged 3 months to 18 years with chronic non-cancer pain and their families focusing on their perceptions, experiences and views of chronic pain, services and treatments. The final inclusion criteria were agreed with a patient and public involvement group of children and young people with chronic non-cancer pain and their families. Data collection and analysis: We conducted a qualitative evidence synthesis using meta-ethnography, a seven-phase, systematic, interpretive, inductive methodology that takes into account the contexts and meanings of the original studies. We assessed the richness of eligible studies and purposively sampled rich studies ensuring they addressed the review questions. Cochrane Qualitative Methods Implementation Group guidance guided sampling. We assessed the methodological limitations of studies using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. We extracted data on study aims, focus, characteristics and conceptual findings from study reports using NVivo software. We compared these study data to determine how the studies related to one another and grouped studies by pain conditions for synthesis. We used meta-ethnography to synthesise each group of studies separately before synthesising them all together. Analysis and interpretation of studies involved children ith chronic non-cancer pain and their families and has resulted in theory to inform service design and delivery. Sampling, organising studies for synthesis, and analysis and interpretation involved our patient and public involvement group who contributed throughout the conduct of the review. We used the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach to assess our confidence in each review finding. We used a matrix approach to integrate our findings with existing Cochrane Reviews on treatment effectiveness for children’s chronic non-cancer pain. Main results: We synthesised 43 studies sampled from 170 eligible studies reported in 182 publications. Included studies involved 633 participants. GRADE-CERQual assessments of findings were mostly high (n = 21, 58%) or moderate (n = 12, 33%) confidence with three (8%) low or very low confidence. Poorly managed, moderate or severe chronic non-cancer pain had profound adverse impacts on family dynamics and relationships; family members’ emotions, well-being, autonomy and sense of self-identity; parenting strategies; friendships and socialising; children’s education and future employment prospects; and parental employment. Most children and parents understood chronic non-cancer pain as having an underlying biological cause and wanted curative treatment. However, families had difficulties seeking and obtaining support from health services to manage their child’s pain and its impacts. Children and parents felt that healthcare professionals did not always listen to their experiences and expertise, or believe the child's pain. Some families repeatedly visited health services seeking a diagnosis and cure. Over time, some children and families gave up hope of effective treatment. Outcomes measured within trials and Cochrane Reviews of intervention effects did not include some outcomes of importance to children and families, including impacts of pain on the whole family and absence of pain. Cochrane Reviews have mainly neglected a holistic biopsychosocial approach, which specifies the interrelatedness of biological, psychological and social aspects of illness, when selecting outcome measures and considering how chronic pain management interventions work. Authors' conclusions: We had high or moderate confidence in the evidence contributing to most review findings. Further research, especially into families' experiences of treatments and services, could strengthen the evidence for low or very low confidence findings. Future research should also explore families' experiences in low- to middle-income contexts; of pain treatments including opioid use in children, which remains controversial; and of social care services. We need development and testing of family-centred interventions and services acceptable to families. Future trials of children's chronic non-cancer pain interventions should include family-centred outcomes. Copyright © 2023 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
France E; Uny I; Turley R; Thomson K; Noyes J; Jordan A; Forbat L; Caes L; Silveira Bianchim M
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
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/10.1002/14651858.CD014873.pub2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1002/14651858.CD014873.pub2</a>
Nurses' effort for providing end-of-life care in paediatric oncology: a phenomenological study
child; Terminal Care; childhood cancer; terminal care; article; female; human; male; palliative therapy; clinical article; personal experience; nurse; care behavior; phenomenology; analgesia; honesty; oncology nurse; psychotrauma
BACKGROUND: Many children with cancer are hospitalised before the end of life and need special care. To improve the delivery of care for children, it is necessary to understand the insights, emotions and feelings of nurses. AIM: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of nurses providing end-of-life care for children with cancer. <br/>METHOD(S): A phenomenological hermeneutic approach was used to analyse the experience of 14 oncology nurses working in a children's hospital who were caring for children with cancer. FINDINGS: Three themes and seven subthemes emerged from the analysis. The three main themes were: pain management (relieving physical pain and reducing the mental pain of the child and family); respect-based care (for the values and beliefs of the child and family and honesty in providing information to them); and negative reflections of care (psychological trauma, cultural challenges and futile care). <br/>CONCLUSION(S): The results of the present study showed that, despite the problems experienced by the nurses, they were still trying to provide life-sustaining care for children with cancer.
Ghaljeh M; Rezaee N; Mardani-Hamooleh M
International Journal of Palliative Nursing
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/10.12968/ijpn.2023.29.4.188" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.12968/ijpn.2023.29.4.188</a>
Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life
Infant, Newborn; terminal care; human; palliative therapy; patient care; newborn care; newborn death; pain; philosophy; review; personal experience; distress syndrome; emotionality; parental behavior; health care personnel; family relation; family support; doctor patient relationship; compassionate care; intersectoral collaboration; parent counseling; psychological care
The primary moral commitment of medical care has traditionally been based on a belief in the intrinsic value and significance of human life and a desire to protect the most vulnerable from harm. In this respect, the care of newborn infants who are at the border of viability is no different. Despite the intrinsic value of the life of every newborn, all agree that there is no moral duty of doctors to provide every possible treatment where the prognosis is hopeless. Instead, every action and treatment should be orientated towards the best interests of the individual child and towards the minimisation of serious harm. Decisions about the withholding or withdrawal of life-supportive treatment should be made collaboratively between professionals and parents, with discussion starting prior to delivery wherever possible. The goals of neonatal palliative care are to prevent or minimise pain and distressing symptoms and to maximise the opportunity for private, loving interaction between the dying baby and his or her parents and the wider family. Physical contact, gentle stroking, cuddles and tender loving care are of central importance for the dying baby. At the same time, we must provide psychological support for parents and family as they go through the profound and painful life experience of accompanying their baby to death. To enable a baby to die well, pain-free and in the arms of loving parents and carers is not a failure but a triumph of neonatal care.
Wyatt J; Hain R
Children
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/10.3390/children9030344" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.3390/children9030344</a>
A pilot study on sports activities in pediatric palliative care: just do it
Palliative Care; child; article; controlled study; female; human; male; caregiver; palliative therapy; quality of life; Pilot Projects; Sports; personal experience; pilot study; juvenile; motor dysfunction; questionnaire; exercise; physical activity; swimming; International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health; mental deficiency
Avagnina I; Santini A; Maghini I; Salamon E; Papa S; Giacomelli L; Perilongo G; Agosto C; Benini F
BMC Palliative Care
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="https://bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-023-01164-x">10.1186/s12904-023-01164-x</a>
Evaluating a novel hospital-based online health community to address palliative and psychosocial care factors for chronically ill adolescent and young adult patients
chronic patient; palliative therapy; psychosocial care; Adolescent; adult; article; Chronic Disease; clinical article; controlled study; data analysis; expectation; female; human; interview; male; personal experience; phenomenology; qualitative analysis; questionnaire; solidarity; young adult
OBJECTIVES: Chronically ill adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients experience barriers to accessing psychosocial care. AYAs who receive palliative and psychosocial care experience numerous benefits from these services. However, we still lack research investigating age-appropriate programs targeting AYAs' psychosocial needs that are delivered virtually and extend beyond the hospital setting. Streetlight is a palliative care program designed for chronically ill AYAs that offers the Streetlight Gaming League (SGL), an online health community (OHC) combining peer-based support, online gaming, and community events. We evaluated the usefulness, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of SGL through an assessment of chronically ill AYAs' lived experiences. <br/>METHOD(S): We used a qualitative evaluation approach grounded in hermeneutic phenomenology. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with 9 chronically ill AYAs to elicit in-depth accounts of their lived experiences of using SGL. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on questionnaire data. Phenomenological data analysis, informed by hermeneutic analysis, was used to analyze interviews. <br/>RESULT(S): AYAs reported positive experiences with SGL and valued the ability to engage in various content while having few participation expectations. They also described psychosocial benefits, including reprieve from illness, sense of community, and solidarity through mutual understandings and shared experiences. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESULTS: Findings highlight the usefulness and acceptability of a virtual palliative psychosocial care program for chronically ill AYAs. Findings also suggest the effectiveness of SGL and support using an OHC to meet the psychosocial needs of AYAs. This study can guide future programming and implementation of online palliative psychosocial care programs in other hospital settings, resulting in similar beneficial and meaningful experiences.
LeBeau K; Collins S; Zori G; Walker D; Marchi E; Pomeranz JL; Hart M
Palliative and Supportive Care
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/10.1017/S1478951523000147" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1017/S1478951523000147</a>
Parent-Reported Experience Measures of Care for Children with Serious Illnesses: A Scoping Review
Child Care; Childhood Disease; Chronic Disease; Parental Attitude; Patient-Reported Outcome; Personal Experience; Caregiver Support; Child; Emergency Care; Empowerment; Health Care Delivery; Health Care Quality;Hospice Care; Hospital Care; Hospitalized Child; Human; Long Term Care; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Palliative Therapy; Review; Shared Decision Making; Systematic Review; Terminal Care
OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aimed to: 1) identify parent-reported experience measures (PaREMs) for parents of children with serious illnesses from peer-reviewed literature, 2) map the types of care experience being evaluated in PaREMs, 3) identify and describe steps followed in the measure development process, including where gaps lie and how PaREMs may be improved in future efforts, and 4) help service providers choose a PaREM suitable for their service delivery setting and strategy. DATA SOURCES: Relevant articles were systematically searched from PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus EBSCOhost databases until June 10, 2021, followed by a manual reference list search of highly relevant articles. STUDY SELECTION: Abstracts were screened, followed by a full-text review using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: A standardized data extraction tool was used. DATA SYNTHESIS: Sixteen PaREMs were identified. There were large variances in the development processes across measures, and most have been developed in high-income, English-speaking Western countries. Most only assess the quality of acute inpatient care. Few measures can be used by multiple service providers or chronic care, and many do not capture all relevant domains of the parent experience. CONCLUSION(S): Service providers should integrate PaREMs into their settings to track and improve the quality of care. Given the multidisciplinary nature of pediatric care and the often-unpredictable disease trajectories of seriously ill children, measures that are applicable to multiple providers and varying lengths of care are essential for standardized assessment of quality of care and coordination among providers. To improve future PaREM development, researchers should follow consistent and methodologically robust steps, ideally in more diverse sociocultural and health systems contexts. Future measures should widen their scope to be applicable over the disease trajectory and to multiple service providers in a child's network of care for a comprehensive evaluation of experience.Copyright © 2022 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Ang FJL; Finkelstein EA; Gandhi M
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
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/10.1097/PCC.0000000000002996" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1097/PCC.0000000000002996</a>
The experiences of bereaved family caregivers with advance care planning for children with medical complexity
death; child; female; human; male; genetic transcription; clinical article; health care personnel; advance care planning; conference abstract; caregiver; human tissue; consultation; perception; semi structured interview; content analysis; conversation; informed consent; personal experience
BACKGROUND: Medical technologies and technological advances have resulted in a growing number of children with medical complexity (CMC), many of whom would not have survived previously. Despite these advances CMC are still at high risk of morbidity and mortality during childhood. Advance Care Planning (ACP) is defined by the Canadian Paediatric Society as "the process of discussing life-sustaining treatments and establishing long-term care goals." Currently the pediatric literature regarding ACP has been largely limited to the intensive care setting and the oncology population. There is a dearth of information focussing on ACP for CMC and that includes bereaved family caregiver's views. Bereaved caregivers have the unique ability to reflect upon ACP through their child's whole disease course and end of life experience. OBJECTIVE(S): To explore the ACP experiences of bereaved family caregivers of CMC who have experienced the entire illness trajectory, including their child's death. DESIGN/METHODS: A qualitative approach was applied, allowing for in-depth data collection through semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to recruit bereaved caregivers of CMC until thematic saturation was reached. The interview guide was developed through expert consultation and was refined iteratively throughout the interviews. Questions assessed caregivers' experiences with ACP discussions, their feelings about those conversations and their perceptions about whether ACP affected the end of life experience. Each participant provided written, informed consent and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Three research team members used content analysis to independently code the interviews. RESULT(S): 13 bereaved caregivers of CMC completed 12 interviews ranging from 40-80 minutes in length. All caregivers of CMC had participated in ACP discussions and sometimes found them to be overwhelming and frustrating in the moment. However, all caregivers reported that they now understand and appreciate the importance of the discussions. Four major themes emerged from the data describing caregiver's feelings and experiences regarding Advance Care Planning: 1) influencers of the ACP experience, 2) positive experiences, 3) negative experiences and 4) the influence of ACP on end of life. CONCLUSION(S): Bereaved caregivers provided a unique perspective, highlighting the importance and the benefits of ACP discussions. They also revealed various ways in which ACP conversations could be improved. These insights will be helpful in guiding educational tools for health care providers working with CMC in the future.
Lord S; Moore C; Netten K; Amin R; Rappaport A; Hellman J; Cohen E; Orkin J
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
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).
Physicians' attitudes when faced with life-threatening events in children with severe neurological disabilities
human; terminal care; female; male; palliative therapy; emergency ward; major clinical study; resuscitation; article; adult; patient care; intensive care; health care access; priority journal; follow up; risk factor; physician attitude; personal experience; cross-sectional study; tracheostomy; disability; spinal muscular atrophy; Likert scale; clinical decision making; childhood disease/ep [Epidemiology]; neurologic disease/ep [Epidemiology]; noninvasive ventilation; patient comfort; pediatric rehabilitation; profound intellectual and multiple disability; rehabilitation center; risk; Swiss
Purpose: Children with severe neurological disabilities are at an increased risk of acute, life-threatening events. We assessed physicians' attitudes when making decisions in these situations.
Wosinski B; Newman C J
Developmental Neurorehabilitation
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/10.1080/17518423.2018.1461946" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1080/17518423.2018.1461946</a>
Parents with a child throughout the end-of-course: A qualitative study
Taiwan; death; personal experience; qualitative research; religion; conference abstract; human; child; interview; palliative therapy
Background/Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to describe the lived experience of parents with a child with incurable cancer at the end of life (EOL). Design/Methods: A qualitative study was conducted following a phenomenological approach. Ten parents of children with incurable cancer were recruited from a medical center in southern Taiwan from May 2014 to June 2015. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using Giorgi's four-step procedure. Results: Two major themes emerged: keep fighting and acceptance of death. Keep fighting was divided into three sub-themes: trying as hope, being alive as hope, and waiting for a miracle. Acceptance of death included four sub-themes: an end to suffering, living in the moment, discussion of death, and letting go. Love was the core value used for making decisions regardless of whether aggressive treatment or palliative care was chosen. Conclusions: Parents had difficulty adapting to a palliative care perspective due to a misconception that this meant giving up on their child. It is critical, however that parents move towards an acceptance of impending death. Religion and belief systems play a varied and important role in the lived experience of parents of a child with incurable cancer.
Wu LM
Pediatric Blood and Cancer
2018
<a href="http://doi.org/%2010.1002/pbc.27455" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1002/pbc.27455</a>
Illness and end-of-life experiences of children with cancer who receive palliative care
hospice; Child; Palliative Care; death; Life Change Events; artificial ventilation; personal experience; palliative therapy; major clinical study; retrospective study; childhood cancer; hospital patient; Only Child; cohort analysis; cost effectiveness analysis; human; article; child; female; male; controlled study; quality of life; hospitalization; resuscitation; intensive care unit; invasive procedure; experimental therapy; cancer susceptibility; cancer center; data extraction; phase 1 clinical trial
Background: The field of pediatric palliative oncology is newly emerging. Little is known about the characteristics and illness experiences of children with cancer who receive palliative care (PC). Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 321 pediatric oncology patients enrolled in PC who died between 2011 and 2015 was conducted at a large academic pediatric cancer center using a comprehensive standardized data extraction tool. Results: The majority of pediatric palliative oncology patients received experimental therapy (79.4%), with 40.5% enrolled on a phase I trial. Approximately one-third received cancer-directed therapy during the last month of life (35.5%). More than half had at least one intensive care unit hospitalization (51.4%), with this subset demonstrating considerable exposure to mechanical ventilation (44.8%), invasive procedures (20%), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (12.1%). Of the 122 patients who died in the hospital, 44.3% died in the intensive care unit. Patients with late PC involvement occurring less than 30 days before death had higher odds of dying in the intensive care unit over the home/hospice setting compared to those with earlier PC involvement (OR: 4.7, 95% CI: 2.47-8.97, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Children with cancer who receive PC experience a high burden of intensive treatments and often die in inpatient intensive care settings. Delayed PC involvement is associated with increased odds of dying in the intensive care unit. Prospective investigation of early PC involvement in children with high-risk cancer is needed to better understand potential impacts on cost-effectiveness, quality of life, and delivery of goal concordant care.
Kaye EC; Gushue CA; DeMarsh S; Jerkins J; Sykes A; Lu Z; Snaman JM; Blazin L; Johnson LM; Levine DR; Morrison RR; Baker JN
Pediatric Blood and Cancer
2018
<a href="http://doi.org/%2010.1002/pbc.26895" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1002/pbc.26895</a>
Exploring Resident Physicians' Experiences Practicing in Pediatric Palliative Care: A Hermeneutic Method of Inquiry
death; grief; semi structured interview; pediatrics; palliative therapy; student; personal experience; resident; medical education; data analysis; genetic transcription; conference abstract; human; child; controlled study; perception; guilt; qualitative research; phenomenology; chronic patient; rotation
Objectives: The experiences of medical residents during training in pediatric palliative care has recently become an area of focus within medical education literature. Residents' medical knowledge, skill development, and comfort in clinical practice in palliative care have all been investigated within recent studies. However, the current body of literature in this area is limited and under-developed as it has neglected the human experience of caring for children with life-limiting diseases. The primary objective of this study is to widen the understanding of pediatric residents who have completed training in pediatric palliative care.
Johnson A; Siden H; Charles G
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
2018
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.10.042" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.10.042</a>
A possibility for strengthening family life and health: Family members' lived experience when a sick child recieves home care in sweden
mother; responsibility; personal experience; family life; home care; nonhuman; childhood cancer; sibling; wellbeing; genetic transcription; expectation; conference abstract; human; child; female; male; interview; clinical article; attention; father; Sweden; lion; welfare
Background/Objectives: Families often prefer home care to hospital care, and home-care services for ill children are increasing worldwide with limited knowledge of families' needs during curative and palliative home care. The aim of this study was to elucidate family members' lived experience when a sick child received home care from county-based healthcare services. Design/Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was chosen. Twelve families including sick children receiving home care and their mothers, fathers and siblings in the south of Sweden were interviewed between December 2015 and January 2017. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Results: The family members' lived experience was described in three essential themes. Strengthening family life relates to how home care induced freedom and luxury in a strained period of life and supported the families' everyday life. Usual social activities and relations were maintained as time and energy was saved when receiving home care. Promoting health relates to how the family members' burden of illness decreased as the child's signs of illness alleviated and the well-being of the whole family increased when the child received care in the home. This provided a peaceful respite for family members' psychosocial recovery. The third theme, Creating alliances, relates to the importance of creating trustful alliances for communicating participation in care. If trustful alliances were not created, parents felt an overwhelming responsibility and family members became anxious. Conclusions: The findings suggest that care in the family's home is a useful complement to hospital care when given with close attention to family members' needs, as positive effects of home care might be jeopardized when expectations are not successfully shared. The study was funded by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation, The Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, The Lions Research Foundation, and The Jonas Foundation.
Castor C; Hansson H; Landgren K; Kristensson HI
Pediatric Blood and Cancer
2018
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.27455" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1002/pbc.27455</a>
Opinions of Israeli neonatologists about life and death decisions in neonates
Israeli;medical decision making;neonatologist;physician attitude;terminal care;adult;age;article;demography;disabled person;disease severity;dying;ethnicity;family attitude;Female;health care cost;human;Israel;Male;medical ethics;medicolegal aspect;middle aged;neonatal intensive care unit;normal human;personal experience;prospective study;psychological well being;questionnaire;religion;sex difference;simulation
Background:: In 2005, the Israeli parliament passed the "law of dying patients" legalizing life and death decisions (do not resuscitate) in patients with life expectancy less than 6 months. Objective:: To determine whether ethnic and religious backgrounds (both religion and religiosity) influence neonatologists' attitudes in simulated clinical situations and opinions about the new law. Design/Methods:: Prospective design, using standard questionnaire sent to all 155 board-certified practising Israeli Neonatologists. The questionnaire sought demographic and descriptive data, personal opinions regarding four simulated cases, and opinions about five statements regarding variables that may influence decision-making. Statistical analyses were by stepwise backward regression analysis, linear regression, and Kruskal-Wallis tests, wherever indicated. Results:: Sixty-nine percent of the neonatologists replied, representing 27 NICUs out of the 29 NICUs in Israel. Most neonatologists would respect the wish of the family as long as it would be within the limits of the law or their personal beliefs. In stepwise regression analysis, religion, religiosity, age, gender, experience, or country of training did not influence significantly the neonatologists' opinions or their decisions in simulated practice. Most neonatologists felt that Ethical Committees had no role in NICUs and were seldom consulted. Most felt that likelihood of severe handicap was critical in decision-making. Issues related to treatment cost of a handicapped or dying infant, as well as impact of a handicapped infant on family's well-being, were not deemed critical. Conclusion:: Israeli neonatologists appear to be a relatively homogeneous group in end-of-life decisions, regardless of their ethnic, religious, or religiosity background.
Kasirer MY;Mimouni FB;Bin-nun A;Schimmel MS
Journal of Perinatology
2018
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/10.1038/s41372-018-0102-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1038/s41372-018-0102-2</a>
The experiences, attitudes and practices of nurses working in a paediatric intensive care unit caring for babies and children at the end of life: A qualitative study
nurse; pediatric intensive care unit; qualitative research; child; clinical article; conference abstract; documentation; female; genetic transcription; hospice; human; human experiment; infant; male; personal experience; sampling; scientist; semi structured interview; terminal care; uncertainty
Introduction Of the 74% of UK childhood deaths that occur in hospital, an increasing number-up to 65%-occur in PICU. There is little information about the impact of this on those who provide minute-to minute care of the children and their families, the bedside nurses. Aims The objectives of this study were to explore the lived experiences, attitudes and practice of nurses delivering PICU end-of-life care (EOLC). Method Maximum variation sampling: range of roles and clinical experience to identify potential participants who may hold different views. Qualitative approach with face-to-face semi-structured interviews away from the bedside. (Build rapport, tackle hierarchy and enable undiluted, in depth, exploration.) Researcher introduced broad topic areas, then specific questioning responsive to participant replies. Areas: clinical background ('ice-breaker'); experiences caring for children at EOLC; view of what good outcome entails; any experiences taking children home or to hospice for EOLC.; challenges faced providing EOLC; discussions surrounding EOLC (who/when/how documentation. Recollected case EOLC done well and one where done badly Interview process designed to maximise richest data. Face-to-face interviews to obtain detailed investigation of participant's personal perspectives within complex systems. Qualitative methodology sought and preserved original lived experience of participants and offer insight into individuals' subjective lived-experiences, providing rich descriptions contextualised to par-ticipants personal settings and social meanings. Data recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Results Seven participants. Main themes were facilitating factors and challenges faced providing optimal EOLC for children and families. Themes included: offering choice to families; meeting family's needs; past experience; relationships with families; conflict in a few hard cases; communication; uncertainty and lack of time. Participants consider they do this well most of the time and find this aspect of work hugely satisfying when done well but extremely hard when there are difficulties Conclusions This study provided rich insights into the lived experiences of nurses caring for children at end of life in PICU. We demonstrated the values and models of good practice as well as the barriers encountered. There continues to be a need to advance the evidence base in order to improve this aspect of care.
Du Pre P; Brierley J; Koffman J
Archives of Disease in Childhood
2018
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/archdischild-2018-rcpch.468" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/archdischild-2018-rcpch.468</a>
Parents' needs for physician-parent communication in the face of life-threatening illness: Qualitative analysis
childhood disease; interpersonal communication; life threatening illness; parent; personal needs; physical disease; physician; adolescent; article; child; child death; child hospitalization; clinical article; female; health care system; hospice; human; infant; knowledge; law suit; male; malpractice; personal experience; preschool child; qualitative analysis; school child; semi structured interview
Introduction. Parents of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening illness often experience the state of cognitive and emotional disorganization. The key factor determining parents-physicians cooperation is the quality of their relations. That is why physicians should be familiar with conditions that may help or disturb parents to manage this extreme situation. Competent communication leads to more effective treatment as well as fewer medical malpractice claims and lawsuits filed against doctors. Material and methods. The aim of this paper is the description and analysis of the needs of 23 parents whose children were diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses that led to death. The deceased children were treated mainly in hospitals or in hospices. The study was conducted in the period of one up to four years following the death of a child. A semi-structured interview was constructed and used for the purpose of this research. The transcription was analysed according to the rules of Qualitative Content Analysis with applying NVivo 9 software. Results. The results have revealed five categories of parents' needs addressed to physicians: 1) a greater intensity of direct parent-physician contact; 2) experience of doctors' thorough knowledge about the child and their illness; 3) a greater doctors' involvement in the search for the causes of the disease and further treatment; 4) parents' established position in the healthcare system, especially when the treatment lasted for a long time 5) more clear information about the applied treatment and condition of the child. Conclusions. The research indicates that the challenge of communication with parents is not only clear information about the course of a disease, providing facts about functioning of the entire health care system and this is particularly important for the parents whose child has been undergoing a long-term treatment. A physician should emphasise the meaning of palliative care as an integrated system of support. Parents' decision-making about medical treatment on the early stage of an illness may cause too heavy strain to some of them.
Janusz B; Walkiewicz M
Palliative Medicine in Practice
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/https://journals.viamedica.pl/palliative_medicine_in_practice/article/view/56160/43289" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://journals.viamedica.pl/palliative_medicine_in_practice/article/view/56160/43289</a>
Bringing social context into the conversation about pediatric long-term ventilation
artificial ventilation; Ventilators; long term care; Child; Home Care Services; Long-Term Care; Only Child; Patient-Centered Care; home care; hospital patient; life sustaining treatment; personal experience; quality of life; tracheostomy; child; human; pediatrics; article; decision support system; family decision making; social environment; home environment; medical information; practice gap; Mechanical
Decisions to initiate long-term ventilation (LTV) for children with medical complexities often involve unclear risk/benefit ratios. Although the technology may prolong a child's life, the added months to years could largely be spent in the hospital, a long-term care facility, or medical foster care, as well as at home. Clinicians who counsel families about initiating LTV must help them make value-based decisions that account for each child's medical needs and the predicted experience with the technology. That experience depends substantially on how well the family can manage daily care at home: How well they can learn the necessary skills, dedicate the required time, and garner adequate support. Because the success of long-term technologies rests on home care provided by families, each family's social context is relevant to the decision to initiate pediatric LTV. Social context (the physical, geographic, economic, and cultural circumstances in which children and their families live) will impact the child's outcome; those children with medical complexity combined with adverse social factors have the poorest health among all children.1 A recent study showed that ~2% of PICU patients across the United States received a tracheostomy and LTV; almost all of these children had chronic medical conditions.2 Substantial variability was noted in the postdischarge support systems provided to these medically complex patients and their families. Regional resources, such as home nursing, medical day care, and medical transportation, can reduce burdens for this population, but they receive inconsistent local, state, and federal support. Considerable caregiving demands for families managing home medical equipment are well described and can entail employment changes, geographic relocation, or disruption of family structure.3 Clinicians striving to individualize decisions about LTV generally have a limited window into the social context that shapes what it will be like for this child to go home with this family. Similarly, families faced with decisions about LTV for their children may not know how to think through the implications for changes to life at home. Evidence for how to consistently, meaningfully, and fairly incorporate family social contexts into decisions about LTV has not kept pace with the availability of pediatric home medical equipment. The essential question is can this family provide the necessary home care if LTV is initiated for the child? And, if not, what would the alternatives look like, and are they acceptable to the family? These decisions require frank consideration of the child's and the family's potential experience of the treatment alternatives: Complex home care, indefinite inpatient care, medical foster care, or limiting life-sustaining therapies. Reviewing potential home care demands and alternative placements during decisions about initiating LTV may not be helpful for every family, but consistently offering tangible discussions of child and family quality of life with LTV legitimizes and explores these concerns for any.
Henderson CM; Wilfond BS; Boss RD
Hospital Pediatrics
2018
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/10.1542/hpeds.2016-0168" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1542/hpeds.2016-0168</a>
Parental perceptions of forgoing artificial nutrition and hydration during end-of-life care
artificial feeding; concept formation; hydration; Terminal Care; Article; Child care; child death; clinical practice; Controlled Study; decision making; Female; Human; Male; parental attitude; personal experience; priority journal; Qualitative Research; quality of life; Religion; satisfaction
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Forgoing artificial nutrition and hydration (FANH) in children at the end of life (EOL) is a medically, legally, and ethically acceptable practice under speci fi c circumstances. However, most of the evidence on FANH involves dying adults. There is a paucity of pediatric evidence to guide health care providers' and parents' decision-making around this practice. Objectives were (1) to explore the experiences of bereaved parents when a decision had been made to FANH during EOL care for their child and (2) to describe the perceived quality of death in these children, as reported by their parents. METHODS: This was a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with parents whose children died after a decision to FANH. Parental perceptions about the experience and their child's quality of death were explored. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed, then data were analyzed by using interpretive description methodology. RESULTS: All parents were satisfi ed with their decision to FANH and believed that their child's death was generally peaceful and comfortable. The child's perceived poor quality of life was central to the decision to FANH, with feeding intolerance often contributing to this perception. Despite overall satisfaction, all parents had doubts and questions about the decision and benefited from ongoing assurances from the clinical team. CONCLUSIONS: FANH in children at the EOL is an acceptable form of palliation for some parents and may contribute to a death that is perceived to be peaceful and comfortable. In situations in which FANH may be a reasonable possibility, physicians should be prepared to introduce the option. Copyright _ 2013 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
2013
Rapoport A; Shaheed J; Newman C; Rugg M; Steele R
Pediatrics
2013
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/10.1542/peds.2012-1916" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1542/peds.2012-1916</a>
Approaching the third decade of paediatric palliative oncology investigation: historical progress and future directions
Childhood Cancer; Bereavement; Cancer Prognosis; Child; Controlled Study; Ethnic Group; Human; Palliative Therapy; Personal Experience; Prevalence; Prognosis; Quality Of Life; Randomized Controlled Trial(topic); Sibling; Voice
Paediatric palliative care (PPC) endeavours to alleviate the suffering and improve the quality of life of children with serious illnesses and their families. In the past two decades since WHO defined PPC and called for its inclusion in paediatric oncology care, rigorous investigation has provided important insights. For example, the first decade of research focused on end-of-life experiences of the child and the family, underscoring the high prevalence of symptom burden, the barriers to parent-provider concordance with regards to prognosis, as well as the need for bereavement supports. The second decade expanded PPC oncology investigation to include the entire cancer continuum and the voices of patients. Other studies identified the need for support of parents, siblings, and racial and ethnic minority groups. Promising interventions designed to improve outcomes were tested in randomised clinical trials. Future research will build on these findings and pose novel questions about how to continue to reduce the burdens of paediatric cancer.
Rosenberg AR; Wolfe J
The Lancet Child And Adolescent Health
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/10.1016/S2352-4642%252817%252930014-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1016/S2352-4642%252817%252930014-7</a>
Aims And Tasks In Parental Caregiving For Children Receiving Palliative Care At Home: A Qualitative Study
Child Parent Relation; Family Life; Home Care; Palliative Therapy; Qualitative Research; Child; Clinical Article; Controlled Study; Human; Interview; Personal Experience; Sound; Symptom; Thematic Analysis
In paediatric palliative care (PPC), parents are confronted with increasing caregiving demands. More children are cared for at home, and the need for PPC of children is lengthened due to technical and medical improvements. Therefore, a clear understanding of the content of parental caregiving in PPC becomes increasingly important. The objective is to gain insight into parental caregiving based on the lived experience of parents with a child with a life-limiting disease. An interpretative qualitative study using thematic analysis was performed. Single or repeated interviews were undertaken with 42 parents of 24 children with a malignant or non-malignant disease, receiving PPC. Based on their ambition to be a 'good parent', parents caring for a child with a life-limiting disease strived for three aims: controlled symptoms and controlled disease, a life worth living for their ill child and family balance. These aims resulted in four tasks that parents performed: providing basic and complex care, organising good quality care and treatment, making sound decisions while managing risks and organising a good family life. Conclusion: Parents need early explanation from professionals about balancing between their aims and the related tasks to get a grip on their situation and to prevent becoming overburdened.(Table presented.) Copyright © 2017 The Author(s)
Verberne LM; Kars MC; Schouten-Van Meeteren AYN; Bosman DK; Colenbrander DA; Grootenhuis MA; van Delden JJ
European Journal Of Pediatrics
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).
10.1007/s00431-016-2842-3
End Of Life Care In Paediatric Neurodegenerative Disease: A Regional Experience
Degenerative Disease; Terminal Care; Case Study; Child; Clinical Article; Controlled Study; England; Family; Hospital; Human; Myoclonus; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neurology; Only Child; Palliative Care; Palliative Therapy; Personal Experience; Rare Disease; Seizure; Social Welfare; Symptom; Terminal Care
Objectives: To identify barriers to delivering patient and family centred end of life care to children with neurodegenerative disease, of which seizures and myoclonic epilepsy is a significant symptom. To highlight good practice in delivery of end of life care to this patient population. To highlight the unique and specific challenges of end of life care in neurodegenerative disease. Introduction: New Children and Young Persons Advanced Care Planning Guidance has been introduced in 2015. The aim is to improve collaborative working between health care services for children and to create a clear, safe and effective platform from which to provide palliative care. In view of this, consideration has been given to the experience of children and families with neurodegenerative disease in different parts of the Northwest of England. These children, like many other cohorts of children with rare or chronic disease, have unique and specific needs. Methods: This case-series describes the end of life care provided to families in different regions of the Northwest. Case notes of six patients who died between 2013 and 2015 and who received input from the Paediatric Neurology Department at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, were reviewed. All patients had a neurodegenerative disease with seizure or myoclonus as a significant symptom. Case notes were reviewed systematically with use of a developed proforma. Results: The review showed the most effective end of life care varied by geographical region likely reflecting provision of community services. Those patients with access to dedicated and engaged community and tertiary centre teams who worked in collaboration had the most effective end of life experience. Conclusions: Children with neurodegenerative disease do have unique and specific end of life needs, however, fundamental to effective end of life care is a care multi-agency cohesive and accessible team.
Donald A; Kauffmann L; Ram D; Vassallo G
Developmental Medicine And Child Neurology
2016
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).