Pediatric Palliative Care

When your child has a serious illness, turn to the palliative care team at St. Bernards Healthcare for support that improves your family’s quality of life. Palliative services ease symptoms and stress in the comfort of home and, if needed, at St. Bernards Medical Center.

Services for Your Family

We can provide:

• Medications to manage your child’s symptoms, including pain
• Nursing care, including home lab draws, dressing changes and injections
• Assistance with durable medical equipment and medical supplies
• Social work services that connect you with community resources, such as transportation and financial assistance
• Counseling to help your family cope with a serious illness
• Pastoral care, including prayer, the sacraments and emotional support
• Referrals for nutrition counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech and swallowing therapy

Who Can Receive Palliative Care?

Any child with a diagnosis of a serious illness can receive palliative care as long as needed—even for years. You may also request palliative care if you’re pregnant and receive a difficult prenatal diagnosis.

Benefits of Palliative Care

Palliative services relieve symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and depression. As your advocates, we can also help your child and family:

• Understand a diagnosis
• Communicate with doctors to streamline care
• Adjust to life changes resulting from an illness
• Find ways to relax and enjoy life