The Hmong people come from a mountainous area just south of China. Due to political unrest and in search of agricultural land they migrated south. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures is a 1997 book by Anne Fadiman that chronicles the struggles of a family of Hmong refugees from Laos, the Lees, and their interactions with the healthcare system in Merced, California. The focus of the stories is on the family's second youngest and favorite daughter, Lia Lee, who after several visits to the cramped and overburdened county hospital was diagnosed by doctors with a critical form of epilepsy at the age of three. His parents, however, regarded his illness as qaug dab peg (“the spirit takes you and you fall”). This deceptively simple distinction is the reason for the cultural misunderstandings that plague Lia's care and is at the heart of what The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down seeks to explore. Anne Fadiman argued that Lia's fate was not caused by septic shock or noncompliant parents or medications, but by a cultural misunderstanding. Lee's attempt to understand and be understood makes clear the challenges posed by differences in medical opinions, language barriers, and ignorance of cultural understanding. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Traditionally the Hmong do not practice Western medicine nor did they encounter it until they arrived in Thai refugee camps and became more exposed to its practice in the United States. The Hmong practice spiritual healing and shamanic rituals, also known as neeb. These rituals involve various instruments such as sacred animals to please dabs (bad spirits) and musical instruments such as gongs and bells, holy water, chants and herbs, as well as other traditional healing methods to find a person's lost soul. Western medicine does not practice these activities, and this is where the healing systems of Western and Hmong doctors come into conflict. The Hmong living in Merced do not fully embrace Western medicine because it is very intrusive to them and can make them lose their soul. Anne Fadiman notes that practices such as anesthesia and repeated blood draws can cause the soul to wander. Such practices can also cause various illnesses, death, and the possibility of the person becoming physically incomplete when reincarnated because the body is essentially being tampered with. This is why the Lees and other Hmong clans find going to the hospital so annoying and refuse to follow the doctors' methods. In return, MCMC doctors felt frustrated and exhausted when dealing with the Hmong while trying to save their lives. Neither side - the Hmong or the doctors - is able to overcome cultural barriers and understand the other side even though both have good intentions. While doctors viewed Lia's illness as simply a birth trauma, the Lees believed the condition was spiritual in nature. . Specifically, in this case of epilepsy, they believed that an evil spirit had captured Lia's soul, causing her to "fall." MCMC doctors vaguely understood the concept of spirits, which were part of epilepsy among the Hmong, but considered the disease incurable. The language barrier and cultural differences between the Lees and MCMC doctors prevented the Lees from obtaining an accurate diagnosis and treatment for the patient. Communication between cultures comes with a large number of challenges. Language can have many different meanings in a particular language that may not exist in another. In Lia's case, this barrierCommunication linguistics has made it difficult for doctors to ask basic questions, including: where does it hurt, have you had a fever, and how long has it hurt? The hospital did not have bilingual Hmong employee English-Hmongo translators working the night shift. Fadiman, describing the critical situation, states: "The doctors on the last shift in the emergency room had no way to collect the patient's medical history, or to ask questions such as where does it hurt?". Because of this language barrier, Lia's parents had no way to communicate important information, including the details of her seizures – or even the fact that she had been having seizures. This is why doctors originally misdiagnosed her, presenting the symptoms as a "bronchial infection" instead of her true diagnosis of epilepsy. A study conducted by Rebeca R. Henry also shows how language barriers affected how the Hmong viewed Western medicine. When asked about vaccinations their children received, Hmong parents said they did not remember or were not given explanations about vaccinations before receiving the vaccine at clinics. When asked which diseases were prevented by vaccinations, parents either did not know or gave answers that indicated incorrect expectations about the effects of vaccinations. For example, they described vaccinations as tools that provide protection from “all diseases.” Some parents believed that “needle injections” were a type of treatment for all diseases. Because of communication problems between those administering vaccinations and Hmong parents, most Hmong parents have not made the connection between specific types of vaccinations and the specific diseases they are designed for. The Hmong have difficulty accepting the reasoning behind the disease, although they seek treatment from Western medicine. They have been exposed to “new” chronic illnesses that are outside the scope of a shaman's practice. Their traditional theories and methods cannot explain or cure diseases. As a result, patients were more inclusive of Western medical practices if the circumstances were outside the shaman's realm or if the shaman recommended a treatment to help alleviate the problem. Fadiman also says that by taking Hmong religious beliefs into account, some doctors have been able to help their patients. Fadiman explains how grants in California have been used to “Integrate mental health delivery services using Hmong healers and Western mental health providers.” The grants were considered a huge success as shamans were enlisted in hospitals to help Hmong patients. With the increase in immigration, it has become even more important to be aware of and better understand your own culture and other cultures around the world. MCMC doctors have demonstrated that Americans need to be more sensitive to different cultures, especially when it comes to cross-cultural medical care. Lia's fight has become a symbol for disabled children and immigrants scared of Western medicine. Although she never said a word after the age of 4, Lia taught many doctors and nurses to care for people of other cultures with greater sensitivity. The challenges faced by the Lees have taught us how important it is to understand and respect everyone's culture. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Fadiman does a good job of presenting each side fairly and equally, expressing empathy and awareness towards both sides. Fadiman uses this novel to put the, 8(2), 161-177..1999.13.1.32