Pediatric
Palliative Care
Pediatric palliative care is supportive care for children with a serious illness and their families. It is a unique type of support that focuses on quality of life and aims to ease the symptoms, discomforts and stresses associated with serious illness. Heartlinks works alongside the child’s primary doctor and specialists who listen to your needs and work together on them.
Comfort & Care In Your Home
We understand that caring for a seriously ill child has its own set of challenges and emotions. If your child has an advanced or chronic illness, we have services that can help ease his or her suffering and provide the emotional support you need as a caregiver and parent.
The Heartlinks care team will:
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Help you understand your child’s diagnosis and communicate with health providers.
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Ease your child’s pain and other symptoms.
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Explain complicated terms, diagnosis and care options.
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Help with the transition from hospital to home.
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Coordinate care appointments.
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Help with accessing medical supplies and equipment.
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Provide emotional support and reduce stress.
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Address family concerns such as housing and safety.
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Locate community resources.
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Reduce emergency room visits.
Get Answers to Your Questions About Palliative Care
No. Some children receive palliative care for many years. Hospice care focuses on a person’s final months of life, but palliative care is available anytime during a serious illness, regardless of prognosis. It is best to start palliative care as early as possible to provide the most benefit to both child and family.
Your Nurse Case Manager with support from a social worker and a spiritual counselor. Many children need more than relief from symptoms. Our pediatric palliative care team takes a holistic approach to each child’s care.
Medicaid, private insurance, and donations cover the cost of palliative care. No patient is ever billed by Heartlinks.
Palliative care can help with rare genetic disorders, rare syndromes, life-limiting medical conditions, cancer, neurologic disorders, heart conditions, lung conditions and other serious illnesses.
Palliative care is based on need, not prognosis. Any child from newborn to age 20 during any stage of a serious or chronic illness, from diagnosis forward.
Heartlinks serves children within Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties. Most palliative care visits happen in the home of the child so no travel is required. Our palliative care nurses can also go with you to appointments at a clinic or hospital if needed.
Get Information About Pediatric Palliative Care
A referral to any of our programs can be made by anyone, including family members, friends, or healthcare professionals. To make a pediatric palliative care referral or to request more information, please call (509) 837-1676 or complete the form below. A member of our team will contact you as soon as possible.
Heartlinks complies with HIPAA and protects your health information. View our privacy practices here.
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