Advising Mothers on Management of Diarrhoea in the Home - Instructions for Facilitators (WHO, 1993, 11 p.): Supervise and monitor activities from Advising Mothers

Advising Mothers on Management of Diarrhoea in the Home - Instructions for Facilitators (WHO, 1993, 11 p.)

		(introduction...)
		Introduction
		How should Advising Mothers be used?
		Sample agendas
		Supervise and monitor activities from Advising Mothers
		Suggested methodology
		Suggested answers to exercises
		Sample situations for APAC role-play

Supervise and monitor activities from Advising Mothers

The skills learned in Advising Mothers may be new to many health workers, and they will need support and encouragement to apply these skills in their daily work. They will also need sufficient stocks of the Mother’s Card. A distribution system will need to be set up so that the cards can be distributed with ORS packets or other regular supplies.

The following is a suggested checklist to help you monitor the activities dealt with in Advising Mothers. You or the appropriate supervisor can use it when you observe a health worker advising a mother during your regular supervisory visit to a health facility.

Checklist

Process: Did the health worker

	Ask questions?
	Praise and encourage the mother?
	Advise the mother what else to do?
	Check the mother’s understanding?
	Explain the Mother’s Card?
	Give the Mother’s Card to the mother?
	Refer the mother to a group session (if appropriate)?

Content: Did the health worker

	Advise the mother to increase fluids?
	Specify which fluids?

	Advise the mother to feed/breastfeed the child?
	Specify what kinds of foods?
	Suggest small, frequent feedings?

	Advise the mother not to use medicines?

	Advise the mother on signs for referral?

		Cannot eat or drink;
		Very thirsty;
		Passes many watery stools;
		Repeated vomiting;
		Fever;
		Blood in the stool;
		Child not getting better.

Skills: Did the health worker

	Treat the mother with respect?
	Use simple language?
	Give realistic advice?
	Use the Mother’s Card effectively?

Mother’s Cards

	Is there a sufficient stock of the Mother’s Cards at the health facility? (If not, how many are needed?)