• Julie M Hauer and Joanne Wolfe.
• aDivision of General Pediatrics bDivision of Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital cDepartment of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Division of Pediatric Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institu... more te, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. less
• Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2014 Sep 1; 8 (3): 296-302.

Purpose Of ReviewTo review the role of pediatric palliative care (PPC) for children with metabolic and neurological diseases.Recent FindingsThere is a growing body of literature in PPC, though it remains limited for children with metabolic and neurological diseases. Evidence indicates the benefit of PPC. Utilization of PPC programmes can facilitate communication, ensure that families are better informed, improve certainty with decisions, enhance positive emotions, result in fewer invasive interventions at the end of life, and have an impact on location of death. Barriers to utilization of PPC include concern about taking away hope and uncertainty about prognosis. Challenging areas for children with metabolic and neurological diseases include the identification of distressing symptoms and prognostic uncertainty. This article aims to review literature relevant to this group of children, as well as provide a framework when considering specific palliative care needs.SummaryPPC for children with metabolic and neurological diseases can lessen a child's physical discomfort and enhance parental certainty with decision-making. These areas along with other needs throughout the illness trajectory and bereavement are being increasingly met by the growing availability of PPC programmes.

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