[Withholding or withdrawing life saving treatment in pediatric intensive care unit: GFRUP guidelines].

Several recent French studies have revealed that 40% of death in pediatric intensive care units are associated with withdrawal or limitation of life saving treatments. Because such decisions are common, the Groupe francophone de réanimation et urgences pédiatriques (GFRUP) has decided to publish recommendations in order to help paediatricians dealing with those difficult issues and to improve their decisions. In a first part of the document the ethical principles that imply those guidelines are recalled, followed by definitions of the terms currently employed. The second part contains guidelines regarding decision making process, the way it is applied and organisation of relatives as well as paramedical and medical staff support when the death of a child occurs.