Can children receive hospice care?

Hospice care is not limited to adults or the elderly. Children of all ages, including infants and teenagers, who have life-limiting illnesses may qualify for pediatric hospice services. The eligibility criteria are the same: a prognosis of six months or less, but the care model is tailored to meet the unique needs of children and their families.

Pediatric hospice addresses the physical, emotional, developmental, and spiritual needs of the child while providing intensive support for parents and siblings. Unlike adult hospice, some pediatric programs allow children to continue certain curative or disease-modifying treatments alongside hospice care, depending on the payer and the situation.

Parents often feel that choosing hospice for a child means giving up. In reality, it means choosing to prioritize comfort, presence, and quality of time together. Our team walks alongside families throughout this profoundly difficult experience, offering practical help, emotional counseling, and bereavement support that extends through the child's passing and beyond.