The conscious death of a two year old: beautiful and unbearable
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 20:52authored byMarie-Benedicte Dembour
This article draws on the personal experience by the author of an infant's illness and death to make three points: 1) children, however young, should be recognized as conscious beings, able to handle their dying process; 2) close relatives and medical staff may not be able to face the impending death of a patient; professionals may need to be brought in to help them come to terms with a situation of terminal illness; 3) by keeping illness and death away from its center, society dehumanizes these very human processes