Easing Distress When Death Is Near

Abstract

The death of a child is an intense, deeply personal experience for the child and his or her family and for everyone involved. Anticipatory guidance regarding the various aspects of end-of-life care can be helpful for families but requires compassion and exquisite communication skills to match the appropriate level of information with the patient and family’s state of coping. This chapter provides guidance on how to manage and address both common and special symptoms and circumstances that may arise during the dying process. Clinician efforts to optimize a child’s comfort at end of life relieves suffering and may also have long-lasting effects for grieving family members. Thoughtful attention to actions after a child’s death can promote both family and staff resilience.