We observed that the modes of deaths in southern Brazilian PICUs changed over the last 13 yrs, with an increment in L-LST. However, this change was not uniform among the studied PICUs and did not reach the levels described in countries of the Northern Hemisphere. Family participation in the L-LST decision-making process has increased over time, but it is still far behind what is observed in other parts of the world.

The adoption of LSL with children in the final phases of irreversible diseases has ethical, moral and legal support. In Brazil, these measures are still being adopted in a timid manner, demanding a change in behavior, especially in the involvement of families in the decision-making process.