title: A multi-disciplinary approach to families of brain dead children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To relate our multi-disciplinary approach to families of brain dead children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The professional experiences of critical care health care providers and the review of the medical and legal literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paediatric critical care physicians, primary paediatricians, paediatric critical care nurses, social worker, hospital chaplain and organ procurement coordinator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe our multi-disciplinary approach towards education of families of children who have suffered severe brain injury likely to result in brain death. We feel this approach has resulted in better understanding and acceptance of brain death. We also discuss methods of addressing special circumstances around child abuse, religious exemption and organ procurement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our multi-disciplinary approach may assist clinicians and other health care providers in successfully dealing with families of brain dead children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY, USA.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Merriam
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiafery
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tornabene
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paprocki
mesh_terms: D001926:Brain Death; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002977:Clergy; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D010372:Pediatrics; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012067:Religion; D012947:Social Work; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement