Each year, in addition to the teacher training programs, OMPACO organizes clinical consults to evaluate local children with their families. While some of the team conducts the teacher training in one classroom, other team members meet with parents and their children in another. Historically, these consults have been very popular – often drawing upwards of 40 families per annual visit.

 

Most often, these consults are conducted primarily by Dr. Martha Collins as a physician fluent in Kiswahili while other members of the team provide support. Most of these families have never received a true diagnosis or recommendations from a medical professional. While the format of these visits may vary slightly from year-to-year depending on the resources available to OMPACO, the goal remains the same: to provide families with much-needed information in order to optimize their child’s development and the family’s quality of life.

 

The family conversations are typically semi-structured interviews, but OMPACO has also employed standardized screening tests when they are available.  During the consults, the team discusses the child’s history and current concerns with the family. If possible, Dr. Collins will give a diagnosis and then provide the family with recommendations and referrals where necessary. This offers the family tools to address current behavioral and health concerns in the home.  When appropriate, the team also provide the names of doctors or clinics believed to be helpful as a next point of contact for that particular family. If possible, Dr. Collins will reach out to these contacts with her own recommendations of tests or medications she feels would be helpful.