Ethics in pediatric palliative care

Pediatric palliative care is the physically, mentally and spiritually efficient care and also includes supporting of the family. Pediatric palliative care is defined as a specific field, although it is closely related to adult palliative care. Pediatric palliative care is a specific field in which ethical dilemmas are frequently encountered. In this regard, addressing of palliative care in terms of ethics is important due to its guidance both in clear understanding of the process and on ethical issues which can be encountered. In the palliative care in which a child and his/her family should be addressed together, decision-making competence of a child and issue of informed assent in decisions concerning the care and treatment come into prominence. In this article, addressing of ethical issues frequently encountered in pediatric palliative care was planned.