Home care for the dying child

The death of a child suffering from a terminal illness or congenital anomalies incompatible with life is the most painful life experience a family has to face. We, as health-care providers, cannot always prevent the death or cure the disease process. However, we can allow the family appropriate decision-making processes, such as allowing the child to die at home. We cannot take the death away, but we can walk the child's and family's journey toward his transition. Few persons in life are as privileged to share such a depth of intimacy in life as we in health care do when living the life experience of death. Death can be likened to shedding or releasing of our physical earth coats toward physical death and individual family beliefs of transition. This journey is a sacred, private, individual, and painful experience. Fear and anxiety can be decreased with appropriate education, and providing an environment of excellent clinical expertise, support, compassion, trust, and love.