By Sarah-Claire Jordan
There’s nothing more daunting to a child then having to go to the hospital. An unfamiliar environment, lots of strangers, and the bright lights and medical equipment can cause anxiety in many small children. If you add to all of that the fact that they may not speak English very well or at all, then you have a rather overwhelming situation for a very small child.
Luckily, there are interpreters that have lots of experience interpreting for children in a medical or health care setting. Interpreting for adults is much more straightforward, because they usually know more or less what is happening to them and aren’t as overwhelmed by so many new things. With a child, however, they may not be able to explain exactly what they feel or what they think is happening to them because they may lack the vocabulary to do so, or are just not at a developmental stage where their communication skills are very good. Here are a few things that experienced pediatric medical interpreters do when they work with children.
1. Speak in a different way that children will understand better
This is something that medical interpreters who don’t have experience with children might have trouble with. To be a medical interpreter, you have to know all of the medical terminology in the two (or more) languages you interpret from and into. Children, however, probably won’t understand all of these terms unless they are explained to them in a simple way. For instance, instead of “cardiologist”, a pediatric interpreter would say “heart doctor” to a child to make sure they understand what that doctor does. Pausing more often and speaking at a slower place are also things they help children to get a better grasp of what is going on and to communicate better with the healthcare professionals treating them.
2. Provide both family and children with reassurance and comfort
The simple fact that someone in the hospital speaks their language will make any family with a sick child feel much more at ease. If that person is also a certified medical interpreter, they will relax much more, knowing that any misunderstandings will be much more easily smoothed over. Interpreters also help out beyond the examination room, and so are always around to create a cultural and linguistic bridge between family and patient and the hospital staff. This ensures that the child and their family understand what they need to do after leaving the hospital to take care of their child.
3. Explain cultural differences regarding medicine
It’s not uncommon for many non-English speakers to come from cultures that practice different natural or “folk” remedies. Many times, families will try these remedies with their child before taking them into the hospital. Doctors, nurses, and surgeons all need to be aware of these kinds of remedies in case they may have worsened symptoms or if certain medications might not mix well with the remedies used. In turn, interpreters can explain to the patient and their family if the remedies they used were helpful or not, and why, as well as what to do the next time the child gets sick.
Alpha Omega Translation has a great team of interpreters who can work in person or over the phone. Either way, they can help to provide a child and their family with a more comfortable and informative hospital experience.