Due to advances in medical treatments, students with terminal illnesses are more likely to attend public schools, increasing the possibility that they may die on school property. However, educational health plans often fail to consider end-of-life care decisions. In the absence of federal or state statutes, school boards are left to navigate the…

This study elicited the experiences of nurses caring for children with life-limiting conditions and their family, within a community based intellectual disability service. A qualitative descriptive research approach was adopted where purposeful sampling recruited 10 participants. Data was collected using one to one semi-structured interviews and…

Purpose: The response of each child to terminal illness treatment is highly individual. This will certainly affect the level and type of perceived needs. This study is conducted to examine the needs of children with terminal illness from the perspective of nurses and parents. Method: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in this research.…

Functional Measurement (FM) has been applied to a variety of settings that can be considered as "extreme" settings; that is, settings involving participants with severe cognitive disabilities or involving unusual stimulus material. FM has, as instance, been successfully applied for analyzing (a) numerosity judgments among children as…

Few resources seem to be available to support school communities that have a child whose death is anticipated. The present article draws on the experiences of school staff and special education employees who have been involved in New Zealand school communities where a child was terminally ill and died. These experiences could help other school…

Presents concept of dying as a developmental stage in the life of terminally ill children. Sees dying as a normal developmental process in which the child focuses on appreciating and prizing the moment rather than preparing for something yet to come. Discusses communication with the dying child and use of the language of play. (Author/NB)

A review of studies on death awareness among children who are healthy, chronically ill, and terminally ill reveals that children with life-threatening diseases demonstrate increased understanding of death. In contrast, healthy and chronically ill children appear to require certain age, cognitive development level, or intelligence thresholds to…

Notes that International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement recognizes wide variation of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors pertaining to childhood death, dying, and bereavement. Statement identifies set of assumptions which can serve as guidelines, across cultures, in care of children with terminal illness and their families. (Author/NB)

Offers several of the author's (a pediatric oncologist) poems and reflections on his poetry in relation to his work with dying children. (SR)

Illustrates with a case study example the importance of teachers helping young children deal with a death. Presents specific dialogs for dealing with the victim of the tragedy, the classmates, and the employees of the classroom. Focuses on teacher roles and contributions in the understanding and coping processes. (SD)

Investigated behavioral adjustment of 61 children (ages 4-16) during terminal illness and first year following sibling's death from cancer. Collected data from parents and teachers using Child Behavior Checklist. Results indicated that bereaved siblings demonstrated significantly higher levels of behavior problems and significantly lower social…

Discusses progeria (or Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome), a rare childhood disorder that invariably results in death during adolescence. Describes the major medical aspects of progeria, and discusses the psychosocial implications of the disorder with particular emphasis on grief-triggered reactions. Presents an overview of psychosocial intervention…

Grounded theory methods were used to study the experiences of 8 bereaved fathers whose children received care in a home-based hospice program. In-depth, unstructured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded for themes and categories. Every aspect of fathers' lives was affected by their experiences, which were described in metaphoric…

Efforts to alleviate the emotional pain of terminally ill children and their parents have led many physicians to turn to child psychiatrists for psychological support and treatment services. This book, written by a child psychotherapist, offers an overview of children's attitudes to death and considers the moral and ethical issues raised by…

As the AIDS epidemic continues, the number of children affected by AIDS continues to increase. Mental health professionals must begin to identify explicitly the special situational factors of AIDS and how they influence the grief process. In addition, the innovative use of mental health services must be considered, such as implementation of…