Palliative Care

Learn about pediatric palliative care

Pediatric palliative care is an approach to care to provide comfort, relieve suffering, and improve the quality of life for children with serious illnesses. The palliative care team addresses you and your child’s unique physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. They work closely with families and care providers to create a care plan that aligns with the child and family’s needs, values, and goals. Learn how the pediatric palliative care team can help.

Learn more about pain management

Measuring Pain in Children
Pain in children can be measured using age-appropriate pain scales. Learn how care teams use pain scores to understand and manage your child’s pain.
Managing Pain with Medicine
Your care team may use pain medicines to help treat your child’s pain. Learn about pain medications, how they are given, and how to use them safely.
Pain Management Without Medication
Many non-medicine strategies can be safe and effective for pain management. Learn how to help your child cope with pain using body, mind, and daily habit approaches.
Needlestick Management Strategies for Parents
Learn how to help your child manage fear and pain from needle sticks with tips on comfort strategies, distraction techniques, and honest communication.
Opioids
Opioids can help manage moderate to severe pain in children, but they come with risks. Learn about side effects, potential risks, and how to use opioids safely.
Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA Pump)
Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) lets patients choose when to get a dose of pain medicine. Learn more about how a PCA pump works and what to expect.
TENS Unit for Pain Relief
A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit is a way to help treat pain without medicine. Learn how to use a TENS unit at home.
Patient-Controlled Regional Anesthesia (PCRA)
Patient-controlled regional anesthesia (PCRA) allows patients to decide when to get a dose of pain medicine. Learn how a PCRA pump works and what to expect.

Other featured resources

Quality of Life for Children with Cancer Educational Series
Explore the Quality of Life for Children with Cancer booklets, an 8-module educational series for parents and caregivers to learn about pediatric palliative care.
End-of-Life Care
Planning for end-of-life care helps manage symptoms, make informed decisions, and focus on quality of life. Learn more about end-of-life care.
Symptoms and Side Effects
Managing symptoms and side effects are important to your child’s recovery and well-being. Learn more about symptoms and treatment side effects.
How to Help Your Preschool Child Cope with Death
Talking to your preschool-aged child about death can be difficult. These tips can help you support your child during a difficult time. Learn more.
How to Help Your School-Age Child Cope With Death
Talking to your school-age child about death can be difficult. These tips can help you support your child during a trying time. Learn more.
How to Help Your Teenager Cope with Death
Talking to your teenager about death can be hard, although they may have an understanding of it. Learn more about supporting your child after a loved one dies.