Existential Suffering and Distress

Existential suffering encompasses a broad set of experiences and concerns. These are often difficult to define but generally involve a sense of loss of anchoring in the world and a loss of meaning, along with a sense of threatened personal identity. Often the idea of existential suffering overlaps with ideas of spiritual distress, psychological distress, psychosocial distress, and physical suffering. Existential suffering may be experienced by children, parents, and siblings as well as by staff members involved in the care of children with serious illness. Addressing existential suffering in any context requires an interdisciplinary approach, highlighting the importance of the interdisciplinary pediatric palliative care team and allied partners.