Open AccessThe Unspeakable Nature of Death & Dying During Childhood: A Silenced Phenomenon in Pediatric Care
Author(s) -
Sydney Campbell,
Fiona Moola,
Jennifer L. Gibson,
Jeremy Petch,
Avram Denburg
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1541-3764
pISSN - 0030-2228
DOI - 10.1177/00302228211067034
Subject(s) - silence , context (archaeology) , phenomenon , odds , consolation , medicine , developmental psychology , psychology , history , epistemology , aesthetics , philosophy , logistic regression , archaeology , art , literature
In pediatric settings, the concept of hope is frequently positioned as a fundamental aspect of care and at odds with the possibility and proximity of death. This arguably fosters silence about death and dying in childhood despite evidence indicating the benefits of open communication at the end of life. In this paper, we describe the unspeakable nature of death and dying in childhood, including its conceptual and clinical causes and dimensions, its persistence, and the associated challenges for children and youth facing critical illnesses, their families, and society. We explore how the tension between hope and death can be reframed and apply our analysis to the context of medical assistance in dying for mature minors in Canada. Considering the lack of related literature, this paper offers initial reflections to form a framework for the unspeakable nature of death and dying in childhood and to advance the crucial need for research.