Comfort care
Palliative care, hospice for children, and grief support.
Palliative care is not only for the end
Palliative care is extra support for comfort, symptoms and quality of life. It can start at any stage of a serious illness, alongside treatment. Many children's hospitals have a palliative care team. Ask for a visit.
Hospice for children
Hospice is care focused on comfort when a cure is no longer the goal. For children with Medicaid or CHIP, federal law has allowed hospice and treatment for the illness at the same time since 2010. This is called concurrent care.
Grief support
Hospices, children's hospitals and nonprofits offer grief support for parents, siblings and grandparents, often for a year or more. You do not have to do this alone.
Last reviewed: November 2026. Programs, rules and phone numbers change. Check with the program named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.