Overview of symptoms and their assessment in life-limiting illness

The aims of this chapter are to discuss the prevalence of symptoms in paediatric palliative care, the importance of accurate symptom assessment, as well as the principles of and challenges to assessing symptoms comprehensively. We examine the areas where knowledge and expertise are lacking and the reasons for this. Finally, we discuss novel approaches to assessing symptoms and discuss areas for future study. In 2018 the World Health Organization published a guidance document for healthcare workers delivering paediatric palliative care in which it describes ‘the medical and moral necessity of making palliative care accessible to all children in need and their families’.