A survey indicates that 7 percent of medical institutions have stopped life-sustaining treatment for child emergency patients while 34 percent have withheld active treatment, such as increasing medication, when they were judged unlikely to recover.
The survey by the National Center for Child Health and Development, released Saturday, also indicates that more than 60 percent of doctors may present these kinds of options to the families of such patients.
The survey was conducted in 2009 on some 950 medical facilities, of which 498 responded.
The center conducted another survey on 255 pediatricians at the 498 facilities last year, and more than 60 percent said it is acceptable to halt treatment or withhold aggressive treatment if a patient is diagnosed as brain dead.
In such circumstances, 61 percent said they would suggest to the patients' families the option of terminating artificial respiratory support, while 69 percent said they would propose reduction in medication.