Storybook Archives - Mother Knows Best

Project: Neighborhood Health Initiative
Organization: Central Iowa Hospital Corporation
Des Moines, IA

One day a young mother started telling me about a concern she had with the doctor that was looking at her 15-month-old baby.

With her limited English she didn't know how to explain to the doctor that she didn't want a cast put on her child for something that she didn't understand why it was being done. So I told her I would be glad to help her out and go with her to the next appointment. I explained to the doctor that she didn't understand why they were going to put a cast on the baby. The doctor then explained to me to explain to her that her child's feet go in and that's why he is always falling. They need to straighten his feet to his knees so he won't have any problem walking.

Then my client asked if there was anything else that they could do because she had heard that they could use braces for that. At the same time I was trying to explain to the doctor my client's concern, he said it was something that needed to be done if she wanted her child to get better. The doctor told her to make an appointment for her child within two weeks to put on the first cast on the left foot.

She asked me if she could see another doctor or get another doctor's opinion. I told her she could pick a doctor since she had Title 19. Well, after seeing the new doctor she was very happy to know that her child didn't need casts on his feet or braces. The pediatrician told her after all the tests were done that her child could be helped by wearing some special shoes.

My client was very happy. She just didn't think she was doing the right thing before and I told her that sometimes a mother knows more about what is best for her kids. She didn’t even understand why her child was getting all this done before, and a hospital interpreter didn’t even make sure that my client understood what was going on.

During this time I also helped the woman fill out an application for Medicaid. She was happy to find out that her three kids qualified for medical care and food stamps. I was just glad that I was able to help her and that she was satisfied.

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