While there are several specialty hospice programs for children in our country, research now shows that nationally speaking, children with cancer are dying in pain and not getting the pain management they need. We all know that we would do anything to help cure our children of such a deadly disease, so it is no surprise that physicians try their hardest to cure the patient all the way up to the end of life. It appears that children with cancer are not being referred to hospice care in time to receive quality hospice care. But we believe that it's better to be realistic when there is little hope of a real cure.
Hospice care emphasizes providing comfort and symptom control rather than cure.
Recognizing that the child is dying is not cruel or unloving. In fact, recognizing the truth and facing it head on is the first step to helping that child deal with his or her impending death. However much we may try to avoid dealing with such a difficult situation, death does come to some children in the form of a terminal illness. Hospice care is the appropriate care for children with that terminal illness, and we should be embracing the hospice philosophy of providing quality care for those who are so young. Unnecessary and ineffective treatments can only bring more suffering to the children, while neglecting to provide them with the type of pain management that is expected in hospice.