Lecture 8.3 - Palliative Care

Question 1

What is palliative care?

Answer 1

Focused on prevention and relief of suffering of a person with diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, and their families
–> Should be integrated at time of diagnosis

Question 2

How does pediatric palliative care differ from adult palliative care?

Answer 2

Prognosis, life expectancy, and functional outcome is often unclear

Greater use of intensive disease-modifying or life-sustaining treatments

Focus on growth and development at the same time as death

Greater burden on families

Information, recreational, and educational needs change depending on the child’s age and as they grow

Greater number of congenital anomalies of uncertain type or rare genetic conditions

Question 3

What are the main components of pediatric palliative care? What is the ultimate goal?

Answer 3

Pain and symptoms management

Maximizing QoL

End of life care

Goal is to achieve well-being as defined by the person. Unique to the individual.

Question 4

What is the goal of end of life care?

Answer 4

Is to preserve dignity and provide the person with the best death possible

Question 5

How can we maximize quality of life?

Answer 5

Legacy Creation
Memory Making
Recreational Therapy

Question 6

What is grief?

Answer 6

Feelings and emotions associated with actual or perceived loss

Question 7

What is bereavement?

Answer 7

The journey a person goes through after suffering a loss

Question 8

What is the major goal in working with a family of a child with a complex or chronic illness?

Answer 8

Support the family’s effective coping to overcome crisis, involve shared decision making and normalization of new challenges, patient teaching.

Promote appropriate development.