Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

Medical practitioners must face the reality that over 53,000 children and 3,000 adolescents succumb annually to one or more chronic illnesses. These deaths may occur while these precious patients are under direct clinical care in the hospital, often within the neonatal or pediatric intensive care units. No one is prepared for such tragic events—neither the patient, nor the family, nor hospital staff. This article considers the complex issues related to the hospitalized dying adolescent and offers recommendations for the staff that may help with the difficult task of ensuring that the deaths of young patients are peaceful, dignified, and painless.

Keywords: Molrtality, death, childhood, adolescence, United States