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Background: Paediatric palliative care (PPC) aims to improve children's quality of life, but this outcome is rarely measured in clinical care. PPC is provided in Belgium through six transmural paediatric liaison teams (PLTs) ensuring continuity of care for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions (LLC/LTC). This study aims to measure the quality of life (QoL) of children with LLC/LTC followed-up by PLTs and the QoL of their parents. Methods: During interviews, an original socio demographic questionnaire, the Children palliative outcome scale—version 2 (CPOS-2), the Fragebogen für Kinder und Jugendliche zur Erfassung der gesundheitsbezogenen Lebensqualität (KINDL) and the Quality of life in life-threatening Illness-Family caregiver (QOLLTI-F) were filled in by PLT members. Statistics were used to investigate significant differences between scores. Results were discussed and interpreted with six PLTs. Results: 73 children aged 1–18 were included in the study. Especially for items focusing on emotional items, children reported their QoL as higher than their parents did. The QoL scores were not significantly associated with the child's condition's severity. Conclusions: This study provides, for the first time, an overview of the QoL of children and parents followed-up by PLTs in Belgium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors convey their concerns about a Belgian euthanasia law and its effect on the practises of Belgian paediatric palliative care teams. Topics covered include extension of an existing euthanasia law for adults to minors in February 2014, euthanasia and palliative care as the Belgian model of integral end-of-life care, and cultural differences in perceptions and practices recognised in the White Paper from the European Association of Palliative Care.

Cites a study conducted by researchers in Belgium which found that peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)/ Ewing's sarcoma (ES) of the central nervous system is extremely rare. Distinction of PNET and ES from central PNET and other small blue round cell tumors; Expression of epithelial markers posturing an important diagnostic problem with synovial sarcoma; Importance of genetic analysis in the distinction from other small blue round cell tumors.

The authors explored this sensitive topic, by surveying the self-reported attitudes of neonatologists and neonatal nurses in the Flanders region of Belgium. Marie Friedel, paediatric nurse; Dr Marleen Renard, paediatrician, Prof. Hugo Devlieger neonatologist; Prof. Gaston Verellen, paediatrician, neonatologist, professor emeritus. Neonatologists and neonatal nurses have positive attitudes towards perinatal end-of-life decisions, a nationwide survey. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Although continuity of care in paediatric palliative care (PPC) is considered to be an essential element of quality of care, it's implementation is challenging. In Belgium, five paediatric liaison teams (PLTs) deliver palliative care. A Royal Decree issued in 2010 provides the legal framework that defines the PLTs' missions, as ensuring continuity of curative and palliative care between the hospital and home for children diagnosed with life-limiting conditions. This national study describes how PLTs ensure continuity of care by describing their activities and the characteristics of the children they cared for from 2010 to 2014. Methods: Thematic analysis of open-ended questions was performed and descriptive statistics of aggregated data issued from annual reports, collected by the Belgian Ministry of Public Health through the Cancer Plan was used. A review panel of PLT members discussed the results and contributed to their interpretation. Results: Between 2010 and 2014, 3607 children and young adults (0–21 years) were cared for by the 5 Belgian PLTs (mean of 721/per year). Of these children, 50% were diagnosed with an oncological disease, 27% with a neurological or metabolic disease. Four hundred and twenty eight (428) children had died. For 51% of them, death took place at home. PLT activities include coordination; communication; curative and palliative care; education; research and fundraising. Different perceptions of what constitutes a palliative stage, heterogeneity in reporting diagnosis and the current lack of specific valid indicators to report PPC activities were found. Conclusion: PLTs are offering highly individualised, flexible and integrated care from diagnosis to bereavement in all care settings. Improvements in data registration and implementation of outcome measures are foreseen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]