Terminal lucidity in children: A contemporary case collection.
Natasha Tassell-Matamua, Karalee Kothe, Michael Nahm, Marjorie Woollacott, Chris Roe, Bruce Greyson, Maryne Mutis, Renaud Évrard
Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice February 26, 2026 DOI: 10.1037/cns0000458 via OpenAlex
Summary
Terminal lucidity—unexpected mental clarity shortly before death—has been reported across cultures and eras, but its characteristics in children had not been systematically studied. Using a 42-item online survey, this study collected case reports of terminal lucidity in 11 children aged 16 years and under. Terminal lucidity typically occurred within the final hours to minutes before death and manifested as notable changes in mental abilities, behavior, and emotions. It was not preceded by any changes in medical regime and often happened despite children being semi- or comatose just before the episode. These results suggest a surge of mental clarity in terminally ill children occurs contrary to medical expectations, which may inform end-of-life care and understanding of consciousness at the end of life.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 11 |
| Population | Children aged 16 years and under who experienced terminal lucidity |
| Keywords | Terminal telecommunication Sequence biology Line geometry Philosophy Combinatorics |
| Key finding | Terminal lucidity in children tends to occur within the final hours to minutes before death, manifesting as notable changes in mental abilities, behavior, and emotions, and is not precluded by medical regime changes or prior comatose states. |
Abstract
The unanticipated occurrence of unusually enhanced mental clarity just before death has been reported across time and cultures and has come to be known by the term “terminal lucidity.” Cases that appear to be characteristic of terminal lucidity in children have been sporadically documented in historical and more recent literature, yet no studies have systematically examined the characteristics of terminal lucidity in children. Employing a 42-item online survey, this study collected case reports of terminal lucidity in 11 children aged 16 years and under. We recorded disease progression and treatment regime, behavioral and emotional changes prior to and during terminal lucidity, the proximity of terminal lucidity to death, and the terminal lucidity duration. Results revealed that terminal lucidity tended to occur within the final hours to minutes before death of the child and typically manifested as notable changes in mental abilities, as well as marked behavioral and emotional changes. Terminal lucidity did not seem to be precluded by any changes in medical regime and seemed to happen in spite many children being in semi- or comatose states just prior to the lucidity episode. Such results suggest a surge of mental clarity in terminally ill children does occur in spite of medical expectations that it should not, which may have implications for enhancing end-of-life care in terminally ill children, as well as for developing understandings about the nature of consciousness at the end-of-life.