Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam VE Workshop 2006

Treasured Experience

Treasured Experience
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

The therapists are all resourceful people and I know the new ideas and techniques I’ve been able to share will be used and adapted to the care of the children they serve.
My trip was also very much enriched through our translator, Dr. Hao. She translated everything for the therapists, patients, family and me. She also taught me a lot about Vietnam—the people, the culture—which was invaluable and enriching for me. Thank you, Dr. Hao!

I am truly thankful to be part of this teaching experience and to share knowledge with these dedicated therapists. This will be much treasured experience.

If you are an Interplast volunteer who would like to share your experience abroad, even if it was in the past, send it in and we’ll post it!

Teaching Our Colleagues

Teaching Our Colleagues
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

This VE trip was full of clinical cases, lectures, demonstration of therapeutic techniques and lots of question-answer sessions. I found these to be helpful as they addressed the therapists’ immediate needs. All the therapists are enthusiastic in wanting to learn more especially when further study and learning is limited due to resources.

The Impact of Splinting

The Impact of Splinting
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

Splinting and understanding proper positioning are important in the prevention of deformities, whether they are from burns or congenital problems. A splint was made for 9-month-old Khoa (pictured here), who was born with clasp thumb (weak muscles.) The splint will keep the thumb extended until Khoa can do it himself. His mother was taught about the condition and care for her child with splinting exercises and play.

Yen

Yen
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

Yen is a 1-month-old girl with arthrogryposis, a condition from before birth where tightness develops in the joints. Yen is affected in both arms and legs. I addressed the need for better positioning with splints, appropriate stretches and lots of education for Yen’s mother on caring for her.

Daily Activities

Daily Activities
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

My time was spent each day working with physical therapist Tri Lieu. The 26 therapists on staff see over 200 children per day for varying treatments. Some work in the day program for cerebral palsy children, others in the outpatient clinic and others in the inpatient burn unit. Therapy is provided daily to help maintain and improve movement, provide normal activities like activities for the children, and to teach parents and family follow-up care upon leaving the unit.

Thuan

Thuan
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

To make the most of this teaching opportunity, Dr. Chung had chosen several difficult cases including Thuan, a 5-year-old girl with a rare condition called Apert’s Syndrome. It resulted in abnormal growth in her bone structure including her hands. Surgery was done with local doctors assisting and with Dr. Chung teaching new skills and techniques, which hopefully will carry over to other children.

First Day in Vietnam

First Day in Vietnam
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

Many of the conditions we saw were from congenital deformities from birth. There is no clear reason for these conditions—genetic, environmental and nutritional factors may all contribute. Some of what we saw included duplicate thumbs, clasp thumbs, constriction bands squeezing on tissue and inhibiting normal growth in the hands, and incomplete separation of fingers before birth. Another common injury is traction injuries from the birth process. These injuries cause partial or full paralysis of the arm.

Lam (pictured here) is gradually regaining the ability to move his arm, but is still unable to raise it completely.

Children's Hospital #1

Children Hospital
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator.

This VE trip brings us to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where Dr. Kevin Chung and I will work with doctors and therapists of Children's Hospital #1. It is the largest hospital (1000 beds) serving the children in Southern Vietnam with varying medical conditions.

Dr. Chung is a plastic surgeon from University of Michigan who is here on his second trip. I am an occupational therapist specializing in hand injuries at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.  When we arrived in Vietnam, we met with local doctors screening children for possible surgery or hand therapy treatment.

2006 Vietnam Visiting Educator

DSCN5538
Originally uploaded by interplast

Nancy Chee, Interplast visiting educator

Back in 2006 Interplast sent occupational therapist Nancy Chee to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to participate in Interplast’s Visiting Educator (VE) Program.

Recently, we unearthed a collection of unpublished blog entries and photographs of her time there.  Although her trip took place a few years ago, the impact of her work still merits attention today.