Dying children need help too.

The control of symptoms in dying children is often sadly neglected. This 
neglect is reflected in a review of the case notes of 
two children who died of cystic fibrosis within three years of 
each other. The girls were under the care of the same 
consultant, who in the interval between the two cases was introduced 
to the concept of proper terminal care for children. These two 
cases show that illness can cause physical, emotional, and spiritual pain 
to family and staff. In retrospect these areas of distress were 
not clearly defined in either case and opportunities to alleviate suffering 
were missed. The principles of controlling symptoms need to be remembered 
as much during distressing treatment as during the distress of dying. 
