Pediatric Palliative Care focuses on achieving the best possible quality of life for children with serious illness and their families. Studies have shown that children who receive palliative care services have been seen to experience fewer symptoms and less suffering than those who did not. This subspecialty of palliative care faces unique challenges, including the patient population, funding and diseases. Therefore, it is incredibly valuable to have a space where we can come together and create solutions.
“Pediatrics is the minority in palliative care to begin with and the voice gets silenced as people don’t often think about it. Part of our role and our goal is to really have that pediatric voice heard,” said Deborah Lafond.
“These are the patients that we can’t fix what they have, we can’t make it go away, but can’t we just make whatever time they have as good as possible and whatever that family needs, in all the different ways that palliative care supports them (physical symptoms, emotional support, spiritual support for the child and family)? There should be no reason why we can’t offer that to people,” adds Debra Lotstein, MD.
Watch Sojourns Scholars, Deborah Lafond, nurse practitioner and physician Debra Lotstein, discuss the importance of looking at the highest quality and standards of care for children with serious illnesses and their families. In addition, learn about new support tools being used to minimize the barrier between patients and clinicians..
Importance of Pediatric Palliative Care
Enhancing quality of life for seriously ill children.
By Naseem Attaran
November 17, 2020
