Paediatric palliative care in hospital

In a number of situations, children with palliative care needs may be cared for in hospital. Difficulty in managing symptoms at home may trigger a hospital admission, but once the child is stable, the parents will often continue care at home. Sometimes, parents prefer hospital care for a longer period because they appreciate the constant nursing care available, and feel they are better able to ‘just be the parent’. Hospital care may also be preferred when there is an uncertain prognosis, or to provide disease-modifying treatment or care at the end of life. Parents who are separated or divorced may find that the hospital is neutral ground. The hospital may be the one closest to the child’s home, or a tertiary hospital where the child has received much of their care and where the family has established relationships with staff.

Many children’s hospitals and paediatric wards have large single rooms with bathrooms, which give the family privacy and are suitable for palliative care. This space can be personalised with the child’s bedding, toys, photos and other special items from home. Some of these hospitals are a base for specialist paediatric palliative care services.