‘Moving Mountains’ to Understand Pediatric Palliative Patient Preferences
In an article published in Palliative Care News, experts highlight the need for palliative care clinicians to adopt a broader, more inclusive approach to fully understand the unique priorities of pediatric patients and enhance patient-centered care, while acknowledging the challenges involved. One expert, Dr. Toluwalasé Ajayi, explains, "For pediatrics, caregiver reports often substitute for direct patient input—especially in younger or developmentally-limited populations, which creates a gap in centering the child’s voice. We need developmentally-tailored, culturally sensitive tools and longitudinal data that capture evolving preferences over time.”