Equipping Educational Therapists for Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC): A Holistic Approach to Support Terminally-Ill Children

Abstract

As more and more educational therapists (ETs) have been increasingly encountering terminally-ill or life-limited children in their practice, the need for training and involvement in Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) has become more pressing. The author of this paper advocates to equip ETs with the adequate competencies necessary to support holistic care, consistent with PPC principles encompassing physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs. The paper outlines the key types of terminal conditions commonly seen in educational therapy (EdTx) and also introduces the HEARTS Checklist, an easy-to-remember planning tool for delivering developmentally appropriate, compassionate, and individualized interventions. It also explores the application of the Pediatric Palliative Screening Scale (PePaS), which requires the involvement of medical professionals, as a collaborative assessment tool to inform EdTx strategies, despite its medical origins. Emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, family-centered planning, and cultural sensitivity, this paper positions ETs as essential contributors to enhancing quality of life for terminally-ill children and their families.