Rainbow Kids Palliative Care

Rainbow Kids is the pediatric palliative care program at Primary Children's Hospital. Rainbow Kids is a consultation service available to any children and families who are experiencing a chronic complex condition or a life-threatening illness. The program is here to help both the child and family deal with feelings, symptoms, and concerns during a time that may be confusing and overwhelming. Our team is available to assist you with your treatment goals of care.

As parents of a child with a chronic or life-threatening illness, you walk one of life's most difficult paths. Your family does not have to find your way alone. The Rainbow Kids consultation service is here to offer comfort, advice, and support to your family each step of the way, wherever the path may lead.

The Rainbow Kids Palliative Care team includes pediatric specialty physicians, pediatric nurse practitioners, medical social workers, and spiritual care. Team members have the specialized training, experience, and understanding to work with you and your health care team to support you and help you find the path that is best for your child and your family. This program is available to children and their families regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

When your child is facing a chronic illness, you may feel your life has been turned upside down. Our team can provide special help with:

Communication

Our team can help you and your child communicate with your health care teams, family members, and your child's siblings. We can assist in gathering the information you need to make the best decisions for your child and family as well as help you find ways to stay connected with your child's school, neighbors, faith community, and friends.

Emotions

Our team offers a safe setting to talk about difficult thoughts and feelings your child and family may experience. We help your child and family explore the meaning of what is happening as you face the challenges of serious illness.

Physical symptoms

Our team can help your health care team minimize pain and other uncomfortable physical symptoms, especially toward the end of life.

Spirituality

Our team is available to support your child and family along your path, providing a non-judgmental place to share thoughts and feelings. At your request we can assist your family in connecting with your faith group or with specific religious practices, e.g. prayers, blessings, baptisms, etc.

The symbol of the rainbow is used by many cultures and peoples as a sign that one can find hope and beauty in unexpected moments, even during the darkest of times.

Our mission is to work as an interdisciplinary team to provide leadership in Pediatric Palliative Care for Intermountain Healthcare. We support children with potentially life-threatening illness and the families and staff who care for them. Through compassion, respect, and dignity we nurture trust, support, hope and help people live their best life possible.

Our vision is to ensure every child receives the best care in the right setting to live their best life possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if palliative care is right for my child?

Palliative care may be right for your child if they have a serious or life-threatening illness. Serious illnesses include but are not limited to: cardiovascular, genetic, neuromuscular, metabolic and many more. Palliative care is appropriate at any stage of a serious illness. You can also have this type of care at the same time as treatment meant to cure you.

What does the palliative care team do?

Palliative care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is specialized medical care that focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. It is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with your other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. The goal is to improve quality of life. To do this, the palliative care team will:

Relieve symptoms and distress (emotional, spiritual, physical, etc.)
Help you better understand a child’s disease and diagnosis
Help clarify your treatment goals and options
Understand and support your ability to cope with illness
Assist you with making medical decisions

Coordinate with your other doctors

How do I get palliative care?

Ask for it! Rainbow Kids is a “Physician Consult” service. That means your doctor has to write an order for us to get involved. You can ask your doctor directly or ask your nurse to help coordinate.

Is Palliative Care the same as Hospice?

Both palliative care and hospice care provide comfort, but they have different time frames for use. Palliative care can begin at diagnosis and continues through treatment, no matter how your disease responds to treatment. Hospice is a specific type of care and set of services that is offered only when the person is expected to live 6 months or less.

Who else, besides my child, can benefit?

Everyone involved! Patients as well as family caregivers are the special focus of palliative care. Your doctors and nurses benefit too, because they know they are meeting your needs by providing care and treatment that reduces your suffering and improves your quality of life.

How can the palliative care team help me?

The palliative care team will also spend time talking and listening to you and your family. They will make sure you completely understand all your treatment options and choices. By deeply exploring your goals of care, the palliative care team will help you match those goals to the options. Our goal is to help relieve suffering and help find a better quality of life for your child, family, and even the practitioners caring for them. A palliative care team may help patients and families explore their beliefs and values so they can move toward acceptance and peace.

Who provides palliative care?

A team of credentialed clinicians, including palliative care doctors, a social worker, nurse practitioners, nurses and a chaplain to provide this type of specialized care.

About Rainbow Kids

What to Expect