Why Your Child Might Need Home-Based Palliative Care

First published November 2021
Updated April 2026

Children with life-limiting illnesses may benefit from home-based palliative care to manage long-term, complex medical needs. The focus on care coordination, family education and managing symptoms allows the patient to enjoy as many typical childhood activities as possible. Physical, social, emotional, and spiritual supports are provided by an interdisciplinary care team, all focused on ensuring the child is comfortable.

Hospice 

Home hospice care is available to patients with terminal diagnoses. Pediatric hospice recognizes that they are children who, although they may not live to adulthood, still want to be a kid and at home with their family and friends. Trained pediatric hospice professionals, (nurses, pharmacists, physicians, social workers, music and massage therapists, chaplain, child life specialist, and volunteers) provide care and support, enable the patient to live each day to its fullest in their home, with the familiar sights and sounds. The hospice clinical team has expertise in pain and symptom management and works to support the family to manage these to reach optimal comfort.

As with all pediatric home health care, all the providers on the team include the parents, siblings and other family members who are caring for the patient at home.

Home Health Nursing

Intermittent skilled nurses and private duty nurses ensure that patients receive the level of care they need—whether for a short recovery period or long-term support.

At-home nursing care may be needed for an infant or child for a short (intermittent) period to help with recovery after surgery, illness or injury, allowing the patient to transition safely back home and heal with their family. Our intermittent skilled nurses can also perform regularly scheduled in-home infusions for pediatric and young adult patients who qualify.

For children who are medically complex and require long-term healthcare support, private duty nursing may be prescribed. These nurses provide specialized care in the home and may assist with safely managing 24/7 medical needs. Our nurses also provide education, guidance and support to the entire family to help create a safe and supportive home environment.

Infusion Therapy

Home infusion therapy evaluates whether any infusion or injectable medication a child currently receives in an outpatient clinic or hospital can be safely administered in the comfort of their home. Children may have short-term or long-term needs for receiving life-sustaining or healing drug infusions and injections at home.

Support is also available for patients with bleeding disorders such as hemophilia. After a bleeding disorder diagnosis, home health providers work with the child’s hematologist, a Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) and their local Hemophilia Society to ensure families have the home health support and infusion training needed to keep their child safe at home or on the go. Many children face challenges traveling to a clinic or infusion center, and for some, ongoing infusion therapy may be the only reason they remain hospitalized. Home infusion offers a flexible and convenient alternative that supports high‑quality care while allowing children to remain in their home environment.

Respiratory Therapy

Pediatric respiratory services in the home are important because some children have breathing problems that require ongoing monitoring, specialized equipment, and trained care. These children may need oxygen therapy, airway support or other respiratory treatments that must be managed safely and correctly. Home-based care allows respiratory therapists to assess the child’s condition, ensure equipment is functioning properly, and educate caregivers so they feel confident managing the child’s respiratory needs. This approach helps reduce hospital visits, supports better quality of life for the child and family, and ensures caregivers are properly educated while allowing the child’s respiratory needs to be managed safely and effectively.

Skilled Therapy Services

Therapy services (occupational, physical or speech) are provided at home to aid in recovery from surgery or recent hospitalization and to assist a child with meeting developmental goals including long-term mobility, communication, feeding and swallowing, or activities of daily living.