title: Paediatric palliative medicine: a unique challenge.
abstract: For more than thirty years, adults suffering from life-threatening or terminal conditions have been able to access specialist skills in palliative medicine. It has taken much longer for children to start to have access to the same expertise. Paediatric palliative medicine adopts a robust and rational approach to symptom control, based on a thorough understanding of pathophysiology and therapeutics. At the same time, it recognises that physical issues are only one aspect of a child's quality of life and, by adopting a multi-dimensional approach, aims to address psychosocial and spiritual or existential concerns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, University of Wales College of Medicine, Llandough Hospital Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, UK. hainrd@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: Richard D W
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hain
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D010372:Pediatrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D013727:Terminal Care; D006113:United Kingdom