When to end a terminally ill child's life? It's an agonising decision

As doctors, we have to temper parents’ relentless optimism with the truth. That may seem cruel, but it is necessary

My wife says my colleagues and I are the kind of doctors you never want to meet. It’s true. Having your child admitted to a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is a traumatic experience. However, most children admitted to a PICU pass through briefly; they may have acute infections or require surgery and are fixed in one visit. But some children return more frequently and yes, sadly, some die.

We have many disabled children with complex needs who are alive and at the heart of loving families because of our help. When you have done this for a while you see teenagers you didn’t expect to get out of infancy.

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Continue reading... March 22, 2018 at 04:02PM