Family Strategies for Coping with Children’s Stomach Aches among Haitians in Montreal
This article is the result of research conducted among Haitian immigrants in Montreal, with the objective of understanding their strategies to relieve their children’s stomach pains. The article focuses on the illness trajectories of five families, which are influenced by their particular dynamics and their migratory experiences. I used a qualitative methodology, based on semi-structured interviews and an interpretative analysis. I found that the explanations given by adults of their children’s stomach aches correspond to a space of cultural creolization. Each family has its own specific dynamics, and their therapeutic pathways are composed of multiple resources. However, beyond such diversity, the family remains the basic resource, along with support from the local community and through the churches. As for seeking help from medical services, their opinions were affected by rather negative pre-migration experiences.