Cultural Competence. At the Annual VTADE Flagship meeting (9/2012) a participant reported that she used a younger family member for translation with her non-English speaking clients. This is not a practice that is supported in the literature or by ADA law. If it is a hospital based practice we are legally responsible to provide an interpreter. Use of a family member may not be reliable and we would have no way of knowing this if we do not know what is being translated. Also, it is well documented that in some cultures it really disrupts the family dynamics for a child to be in this role for the parent. A great book for professionals on this issue is: The Spirit Catches You and then You Fall Down, about a young girl with epilepsy in the Hmong culture.
S.G. VT AADE member.