Palliative care for children living with HIV infection

Abstract

Palliative care should begin at the time of diagnosis of HIV infection, as it aims to provide the active total care of the child’s body, mind and spirit, and also involves giving support to the family. Children and adolescents living with HIV infection experience a high burden of physical symptoms and emotional, social and spiritual issues throughout their life course and require significant support. Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life. If antiretroviral therapy should fail or disease overwhelm the patient, end of life care should be planned to ensure adequate symptom control and dignified death. This will include bereavement support of the family.