Euthanasia performed on a two-year-old child for the first time in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, euthanasia for severely and terminally ill children between the ages of one and 12 was legalized in 2024.

A one-year-old infant has become the first child with an incurable illness to undergo euthanasia in the Netherlands as part of the expansion of the country's assisted dying legislation; this is the earliest age in the world.

In June, Dutch authorities reported that the child had already died as a result of euthanasia the previous year, but did not provide any additional details about the infant's age or what incurable illness he suffered from.

Regarding this latest patient, an official government report (source in Dutch), published earlier this month, states that the child was born prematurely, suffered sepsis, and at just four months of age was diagnosed with "extensive brain damage."

The child was also found to have a severe form of cerebral palsy, and later a severe form of epilepsy was discovered.

"The child had problems with clearing phlegm, meaning it was difficult for him to thin and cough up mucus from the lungs and airways. In addition to shortness of breath, this leads to a significantly higher risk of respiratory tract infections," the report states.

"During the child's short life, no development or improvement was observed."

The report also states that the parents asked the attending pediatrician to "end the child's life" when it became clear that there was no hope of improvement.

The Netherlands legalized euthanasia for severely ill children between the ages of one and 12 in 2024.

According to Dutch media reports earlier in the week, the prosecutor's office decided not to bring charges against the doctor, following the recommendations of a special commission which earlier this month found that the physician had acted with due care.

"I felt myself to be in an extremely vulnerable position, since nothing like this had ever happened before. For a year the feeling of a sword of Damocles hanging over my head did not let up," he stated.

In 2002, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia subject to strict restrictions.

All cases must be reported to medical review commissions.

Source: Euronews