Information for the public
Keeping your child comfortable
Keeping your child comfortable
Your care team will keep your child as comfortable and free from pain as possible. If your child has symptoms that are distressing them, the palliative care specialists in the care team will help with these. If needed, they will involve other specialists (such as pharmacists and specialists in your child's condition).
If your child seems agitated or confused, it helps to make sure they can see familiar people and things around them. Physical touch, such as holding them, can also reassure them. Speaking calmly, keeping lighting and noise low and playing music can help too. If these methods don't work to soothe your child, the care team might talk with you about giving them medicine to calm them.
Controlling pain
There are different ways to ease your child's pain. Simple methods can help, like using hot or cold compresses, playing music and touching, holding or massaging your child. They can also be given medicine. The doctor or nurse should talk with you about which medicines might work best. Some, such as opioids, can cause side effects like constipation and sedation (sleepiness). Your doctor or nurse will keep these under control by adjusting the dose and providing help to treat the side effects if needed. You might need to try more than 1 medicine to get the balance right.
If your child has a seizure
Some conditions can cause seizures (these used to be called fits). Seizures can be frightening or upsetting, and if your child is at risk you should be told how to recognise a seizure and what to do. You may be given medicine to give your child if they have a seizure. The care team should explain how and when to use this.
Breathing problems
Your child may at times seem breathless or have noisy breathing and the care team should reassure you that this is common. It can be caused by different things, but it can help to move your child into a more comfortable position, encourage them to relax and to talk about any anxious feelings. They can also be given oxygen or medicine.
If the care team suspects there is a new medical problem that needs treatment they may ask a specialist to examine your child.