The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors and the Collision of Two Cultures
Author:
Genres: Nonfiction, Medicine, Medical Books
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Nonfiction, Medicine, Medical Books
Book Type: Paperback
This book was required reading for my Cultural Anthropology class, and I'm glad I read it.
The book revolves around Lia, a Hmong child with severe epilepsy, and how her parents and doctors struggle to help her. Her parents are very traditional in Hmong terms and percieve Lia's seizures as a sign that Lia is able to see into the spirit world. This brings them a great sense of pride. However, being in America, doctors know how serious the situation is and try to convince the parents.
The parents only want what is best for their daughter, but, in there minds, where American doctors raise red flags, they struggle on what that is.
The Spirit Cathes You is a great book that really makes you think about culture as the "outline" of how we perceive the world.
The book revolves around Lia, a Hmong child with severe epilepsy, and how her parents and doctors struggle to help her. Her parents are very traditional in Hmong terms and percieve Lia's seizures as a sign that Lia is able to see into the spirit world. This brings them a great sense of pride. However, being in America, doctors know how serious the situation is and try to convince the parents.
The parents only want what is best for their daughter, but, in there minds, where American doctors raise red flags, they struggle on what that is.
The Spirit Cathes You is a great book that really makes you think about culture as the "outline" of how we perceive the world.
