What is Palliative Care?
At Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, pediatric palliative care is both a philosophy and an organized program for delivering care to children with life-threatening conditions. This care focuses on enhancing quality of life for the child and family, minimizing suffering, optimizing function and providing opportunities for personal growth.
Pediatric palliative care refers to patient- and family-centered care which is achieved through a combination of active and compassionate therapies intended to comfort and support the child, as well as family members. Effective management of pain and other distressing symptoms, together with emotional, social and spiritual care are the core of care provided by the palliative care team.
The goal is to help patients and their families live as normally as possible and to provide them with timely and accurate information and support in decision-making.
Respite care and care through death and bereavement also are components of palliative care. Such care and assistance are not limited to people thought to be dying and can be provided concurrently with curative or life-prolonging treatments.
For more information, please contact the Pediatric Palliative and Palliative Comfort Care Team at Cincinnati Children's.
Patient referrals to the Pediatric Palliative and Comfort Care Team can be made by health care professionals and parents. We will contact you on the day the referral is made.
