Children in a persistent vegetative state.

Predicting the outcome for children in coma is difficult because of the greater resilience of their still developing brains. Those who survive with intact vegetative functions but without cognitive, sapient function can live almost indefinitely with proper care. Campbell, a professor of child health, urges the establishment of criteria for decision making for these patients. He believes that, after an adequate period of maximum treatment, parents and physicians can arrive at the decision not to prolong a persistent vegetative state and can justifiably withdraw tube feeding and antibiotics from those who are "for all practical purposes dead." (KIE abstract)