Netherlands: 2-year-old child euthanized for the first time after the expansion of the law on assisted dying

A two-year-old child in the Netherlands was euthanized in December after doctors and the parents concluded that no treatment could alleviate the child’s suffering. The case, recently made public by the Dutch review committee, marks a first: it is the first child under the age of 12 to undergo such a procedure following the expansion of legislation on assisted dying.

The child was born prematurely at 26 weeks and suffered from cerebral palsy, severe visual impairment, treatment-resistant seizures and mucus buildup in the lungs, which made breathing difficult. According to the report, the child experienced daily pain and seizures, while painkillers and palliative care failed to reduce the suffering.

Doctors determined that the illness was incurable, that the child was terminally ill and that there was no prospect of improvement. The decision was made together with the parents, after medical and non-medical interventions produced no results.

In the Netherlands, assisted dying for terminally ill children aged between one and 12 has been legal for two years. The procedure is permitted only under strict conditions, following an assessment by an independent doctor and subsequent review by a government committee. Euthanasia has been legal in the Netherlands since 2002.