CARING FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL ADOLESCENT

Terminally ill adolescents, a heterogeneous group, face unique problem s in coming to terms with the prospect of death and dying. In parallel , the psychosocial sequelae of a terminal illness in the adolescent, a nd their effects on the family and health professionals, present uniqu e challenges for management. Using a developmental framework, we exami ne issues surrounding the care of dying adolescents and present strate gies for their management.