RESULTSThese respondents estimated

RESULTSThese respondents estimated that 18% of the children for whom they cared were newborns, 21% were older infants, 37% were between 1 and 10 years of age, and 24% were adolescents. Most often, these children had an illness of recent onset and were likely to recover. Half of the patients, though, were either infants who had been ill their entire lives or older children who were chronically ill. One in 5 patients was thought to be clearly dying. Respondents consistently estimated that a larger proportion of parents than patients had a variety ofspecific needs. Regarding patient needs, half or more were believed to have needs regarding feeling fearful or anxious, coping with pain or other physical symptoms, and regarding their relationship to their parents or the relationship between their parents (Fig 2). Addressing parental needs, respondents estimated that 60% to 80% of parents also felt fearful or anxious, had difficulty coping with their child’s pain or other symptoms, sought more medical information about their child’s illness, questioned why they and their child were going through this experience, asked about the meaning or purpose of suffering, and feltguilty (Fig 3). The majority of respondents strongly agreed that the following “methods of providing spiritual care are very effective”: empathetic listening, praying with children and families, touch or other forms of silent communication, and performing religious rituals or rites. Conversing with the child or family about their spiritual journey and inquiring how thefamily had addressed spiritual needs previously were also viewed as being effective. Opinion diverged regarding the effectiveness of mediating between the family and the health care team on either spiritual or medical issues or between the family and their spiritual community or providing written spiritual resources.