Reactions of the dying child to his illness - review of the literature.

Abstract

Living in a society that emphasizes life and youth, a childs death is seen as a a tradgedy, an unnatural event that seems to mock the recent developments in modern medicine. To many the tradgedy lies in the fact that the death has occurred before fullfillment, an injustice in itself. At present there is an increasing awareness of the many facets in the field and dying that is reflected in the growing quantities of the literature published on the subject. It is hoped that this literature will act as a catalyst in breaking down the rigid barriers that surround the subject of death in this century.