Considering Parental Requests to Withdraw Life-Sustaining Care in Seriously Ill Children: A Case Report and Ethical Analysis

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 2026 Open access

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Authors: Lily Hauptman, Marin Arnolds, Rachel Brownson, Adam D. Marks
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2025.12.030
Cited by: 0
References: 19

Abstract

This article describes a case report in which a family’s request for withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for a child was met with differing ethical opinions in regards to its permissibility. We explore ethical considerations for parental and medical teams’ decisions to limit life-prolonging treatment in Pediatrics.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life Family Support in Illness

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Volume
71
Issue
5
Pages
e638–e642
Publication date
7 January 2026
Language
EN