This paper focuses attention on the moral and ethical principles in the treatment of a very sick newborn infant and child. Special attention is given to the risk benefit balance of the employment of sophisticated technology with the purpose of prolonging the survival of a possible handicapped child. The authors analyzed the different ways of facing this problem according to different cultural backgrounds. The concept of a terminal patient is not applied to the neonatal period. The principle of autonomy is discussed, and the familiar feelings are analyzed.