Nothing prepared you for this.

Few things are more devastating than having a child with a life-limiting illness. Watching them go into hospice care is heart-wrenching and something that no parent should have to prepare for. 

However, you can take some small piece of comfort knowing that holistic pediatric hospice care will enable your child to be as comfortable and pain-free as possible, enabling you to make the most out of your memories together.

“Our hearts go out to parents who are facing this difficult and emotional time,” said Ashley Harper, Sr. Clinical Director of Hospice Services. “We know how important your child is to you, and because we also consider them a part of our 3HC family, we have a team with specialized training in holistic pediatric hospice care. This is vital to providing the best quality of care for the one who is most precious to you”

We’ll take a closer look at what we do at 3HC to support your child —and your whole family—physically, emotionally and spiritually throughout hospice care.

5 Benefits of 3HC Holistic Pediatric Hospice Care for Your Child

1. Comprehensive Pain and Symptoms Management

Children experience pain differently from adults. Our healthcare team will get to know your son or daughter and monitor them for signs of discomfort—realizing that these may vary depending on their age and the stage of their illness. We’ll use appropriate pain relief measures ranging from medication to soothing comfort care.

2. Emotional and Psychological Support for Patients and Families

When your child is in 3HC hospice care, you’ll realize that no one faces these heartbreaking challenges alone. We believe in addressing not only the emotional and mental health of your child but also working with the whole family. This illness affects you all, and it’s vital to have support for coping with fear, grief and anxiety.

3. Family-Centered Care

We’ll expand upon this point a bit more later in this article, but at the heart of the matter is the approach we take in caring for your entire family. We include you in our care plans and in decision-making.

4. Relief for Caregivers Through Respite Care

Caregiving–particularly through this most difficult time–causes an almost unbearable amount of stress and burnout. Our hospice professionals can give you an opportunity to get much-needed rest so you can face your challenges refreshed. You have to take care of yourself so you can care for your child.

5. Creating Meaningful Experiences

At 3HC, our emphasis is on your child’s comfort and dignity. We treat you like family, so we will create opportunities for you to have lasting memories. Our Butterfly Wings Program helps children fulfill wishes that will create precious moments that you’ll treasure.

How Does Pediatric Hospice Support the Emotional Needs of Children?

There are few things as devastating as watching a child face a life-limiting illness. Children aren’t “little adults,” and therefore, they need a specialized approach to care. Below, we’ll review some of the ways we support holistic pediatric hospice care for children.

Our holistic hospice care for your child includes:

• Therapeutic play enables your child to express their feelings, worries and anxiety. It also helps maintain a routine and a sense of normalcy. This can include coloring books, games, puzzles and even crafts.

Does Pediatric Hospice Support the Social Needs of Child and Family?

No one faces a serious illness alone, that’s why we believe caring for the patient means caring for the entire family and their social needs. After all, we consider our patients a part of our 3HC family, and that means being there when your support is needed most. 

Support for the entire family is a crucial element of our holistic hospice care approach. We also know that illness affects each loved one, whether parents, siblings, aunts, uncles or other relatives and friends. This is why we focus on providing needed family support through:

• A comprehensive healthcare team
• Social workers
• Hospice chaplains
• Volunteers
• Grief support groups

How Does a Holistic Approach Benefit a Terminally Ill Child?

A holistic approach involves treating the whole child—physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. While the medical aspects of their illness are a central focus, it is not the only focus of our care. 

We’ve found this benefits your child in many ways, including:

• Managing symptoms
• Providing psychological support through counseling or even play therapy
• Enabling your child to socially interact with siblings, friends and other loved ones

At 3HC, We Want to Provide Holistic, Patient-Centered Comfort Care for Your Child

Caring for a child facing a life-limiting illness presents unique challenges. You need someone who does much more than address medical needs. You need someone to care about every aspect of your child’s well-being. They are precious to you, and they should be honored by supporting their comfort and dignity.

For decades, 3HC has been providing families with meaningful, comforting, end-of-life care that addresses all aspects of medical, spiritual, social and emotional facets. For more information about how we can help those you hold most dear, contact us today.