Children with terminal illness: a selected review

This brief review consdiers the psychiatric aspect of a child's dying from terminal illness. Much of the literature is largely theoretical, illustrated by case histories and clinical observations. Only recently has research been published based on empirical analyses of grief reactions in the child. There is no corresponding empirical research on the grief reactions of parents and siblings, or of the medical staff that cares for the terminally ill child. A review in this area points out the need for more integration of theoretical, clinical, and empirical work, including all aspects of a dying child's environment.