As I entered my patient’s room I saw this little chubby 4-month-old with a round face and big brown eyes staring at me. Mom was a tiny woman standing by his bed that looked up at me and smiled. After finding out in report the family was from Somalia I knew there would be a language barrier. Through my experience working with families from Somalia, the dad/husband is more fluent in English language. Saalim’s dad had to stay home with his two other boys so mom was here with Saalim and dad would come and visit at night. Although mom could understand English I had to talk slowly and clearly for her to understand me. She had more trouble speaking English. I knew she still practiced her native culture by her dress. She was wearing a long dress and a scarf over her head. Little Saalim was admitted to the peds unit because he had RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). RSV is the most common cause of lung infections in babies and children but in adults it is a common cause of colds….
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