title: [Paediatric palliative care: multidisciplinary and pro-active].
abstract: Every child with a life-limiting or threatening illness, and his or her family, has a right to palliative care. Palliative care is not limited to end-of-life care, but starts from the moment of diagnosis and is independent of whether there are curative options. To optimise quality of life of both the child and the family, the emphasis of care should be on both somatic and psychosocial and spiritual aspects from the very start, and goals should be set together with the child and the family. A multidisciplinary and pro-active approach is essential if this is to be achieved. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that at least every academic hospital should have a multidisciplinary paediatric palliative care team.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC-Sophia Kinderziekenhuis, Rotterdam.
authors.forename: G C B
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Bindels de Heus
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: E M C
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Niks
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: van Walraven
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*