Children’s palliative care faces shortages of specialists and places

Children’s palliative care in Latvia is limited by a shortage of specialists and available places, LSM reported in a story by TV Kurzeme. The exact number of people under 24 eligible for state-supported care is unknown, but it has remained relatively stable.

In Kurzeme, 20 of the 110 children who need palliative care at home have been granted the service. Two children died before they could begin treatment. The Dižvanagi association arranges for specialists to visit children at home.

The service is intended for children with substantial medical needs. Dižvanagi head Ilze Durņeva said eligibility is assessed using the PAPAS scale, which still needs further work before it can be approved for use in Latvia.

Doctors say children’s palliative care must include psychosocial support for parents, involving chaplains, social workers and psychologists as well as medical care. It also differs significantly from care for adults: children need the chance to have a childhood alongside their treatment, paediatric palliative care doctor Jūlija Cīrule-Galuza said.

The field also faces a shortage of specialists, as many struggle with the physical and psychological demands of the work. Parents who have lost a child can receive support during a two-year period of bereavement, Cīrule-Galuza said.

October is observed in Latvia and internationally as World Hospice and Palliative Care Month.