does accepting palliative care mean our family is giving up on other treatments?

No. The purpose of palliative care is to ease your child’s pain and other symptoms and provide emotional and other support to your entire family. Palliative care can help children, from newborns to young adults, and their families—at any stage of a serious illness. Palliative care works alongside other treatments your child may be receiving. In fact, your child can start getting palliative care as soon as you learn about your child’s illness.

if we start palliative care, can my child still see the same primary health care provider?

Yes. Your child does not have to change to a new primary health care provider when starting palliative care. The palliative care team and your child’s health care provider work together to help you and your child decide the best care plan for your child.

is palliative care covered by insurance?

Many insurance plans cover palliative care. If you have questions or concerns about costs, you can ask your health care team to put you in touch with a social worker, care manager, or financial advisor to look at payment options.