What foods do mothers in Haiti avoid giving their young children?

• D
  All of the above.

Misconceptions about nutrition are widespread in Haiti. These misconceptions are deeply ingrained, and therefore, difficult to overcome. Mothers think they are saving their children — when, in fact, they are robbing them of healthy foods.

Compassion International’s Child Survival Program overcomes these misconceptions by showing, not telling. We gradually introduce healthy foods, and when mothers see their children grow healthy, they begin to abandon the myths they grew up believing.

If you were a mother in Haiti and your baby had diarrhea, what would you do?

• A
  Stop breastfeeding immediately.

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of death for children in Haiti. Haitian mothers believe their milk can become “bad” for any number of reasons (stress, sickness, etc.), and often believe their milk has poisoned the child. So they stop breastfeeding at the first sign of diarrhea.

Mothers in the Child Survival Program are taught the truth about breast milk — that it is the best way to keep their children healthy! Each mother’s nutrition is also closely monitored, as many Haitian mothers give up on breastfeeding because they are too malnourished to produce enough milk.

You are a mother in Haiti and become pregnant while still nursing. You …

• D
  Immediately stop breastfeeding.

Mothers in Haiti believe that if they continue nursing while pregnant, their unborn child will be “robbed” of milk, while the child who is nursing will get sick. The reality is, the longer a child can be breastfed, the healthier he or she will be.

Child Survival Program specialists work hard to teach Haitian mothers facts in a world of myths. Demonstrating the importance of breastfeeding, good nutrition and healthcare are key to child survival in Haiti. But there is a fine balance between respecting the Haitian culture and changing the minds of Haitian mothers — which is one of the many reasons all of our workers in the Child Survival Program in Haiti are from Haiti.

It is time to wean your baby. What do you feed him?

• A
  Sugar water and fruit juice

Sugar is a major problem for children in Haiti. Children are weaned with sugar water and graduate to chewing sugar cane. Children like the taste, of course, and the act of chewing makes them feel less hungry — but they are receiving few, if any nutrients. Because of this, children in Haiti have many dental problems.

Mothers enrolled in the Child Survival Program in Haiti learn the difference between giving their children what they want to eat and what they need to eat. At the center a mother learns about nutrition. When the Child Survival Program worker visits her at her home, she teaches the mother how to cook balanced meals using foods that are available.

Your child is suffering from a high fever and vomiting. How do you treat her?

• C
  Wait it out. If things get worse, administer herbal treatments at home.

One of the largest challenges for mothers in Haiti is a lack of education. Mothers wait out illnesses far too long, assuming a child is teething, when in fact he or she is dehydrated. And when it is clear that a child’s illness is serious, mothers have no trust in Western medicine, so they administer herbal treatments at home. Even mothers who want to go to clinics often find them closed or with no medicine.

The Child Survival Program ensures prompt medical treatment for children and their mothers. Mothers learn warning signs for serious illnesses, and they learn how to prepare rehydration solutions at home. The cost of their medical needs are covered through the program, and workers often visit the clinic with mothers to help them understand any conditions their children may have.