Common Childhood Disabilities

In our fourth meeting our group discussed common disabilities and interventions seen in developing countries. The thing that left the biggest impact on me was the idea that an intervention that we take for granted here in the US, such as the placement of a shunt, would be ill advised in many areas in developing countries because the follow up necessary to properly carry out and maintain the intervention is available in such limited quantity or not at all in isolated rural areas that minor maintenance issues could easily become life threatening emergency care problems. It put into perspective for me just how different life is for some people and how vastly different the priority system for providing healthcare in such settings has to be. The reading for this week brings to light the importance of being able to understand the full circumstances and needs of the community and its individuals on their terms and shedding all of your assumptions and any preconcieved notions of who they are, what they need and what you can and will be doing in their community.