Advising Mothers on Management of Diarrhoea in the Home - A Guide for Health Workers (WHO, 1993, 18 p.): Review of information using the Mother's Card

Advising Mothers on Management of Diarrhoea in the Home - A Guide for Health Workers (WHO, 1993, 18 p.)

		(introduction...)
		Introduction
		Basic skills
		Information summary sheet (blank)
		Practising the steps
		Review of information using the Mother's Card
		Review of the steps
		Summing-up exercise
		(Optional): Refer the mother to a small group session if necessary
		Leading a demonstration

Review of information using the Mother's Card

The CDD programme has developed a two-sided visual aid (a pictorial Mother's Card) to help health workers to teach home case management to mothers, and for mothers to take home when they leave the health facility. This card can be useful in several ways:

It reminds you of the main points to cover when advising a mother how to care for her child with diarrhoea at home.

It helps the mother understand these points, so she will remember what to do for her child when she gets home.

It helps her remember what to do the next time her child has diarrhoea.
The mother may show the card to other family members, or to neighbours, so more people will learn the messages it contains.

The Mother's Card should be used at the end of a session with a mother, to help review what she should do at home. Here are a few techniques that will help you to use the material effectively:

1.	Hold the card so that the mother can easily see the pictures, or allow the mother to hold it herself.

2.	Explain each picture to the mother. This will allow her to look at the pictures while listening to the message.

3.	Point to the picture (not to the text) as you talk. This will help the mother to remember what the pictures represent.

4.	Observe the mother to see if she looks puzzled or worried. If she does, encourage her to ask questions.

5.	Ask the mother to tell you in her own words what she should do at home, using the card to help her remember.

6.	Give the card to the mother to take home with her. Suggest that she also show it to others in her family or her community.

Exercise

With a partner from your group, practise using the Mother's Card included with this guide, or the Mother's Card developed by your national CDD programme. Sit next to your partner or facing her, as you would a mother in your health facility. Use all the techniques described above.