New Brunswick, Canada — a mother from Moncton has been trying to have her son’s autism diagnosis translated to English since August, but to no avail.
Editor’s Note: We were about to go to press with this story when we received note that a good Samaritan has come forward to help with the translation. From Global News:
Dr. Charles Emmrys heard about Worden’s story and offered to help. He approached Global News and offered the translation along with a free consultation to Worden to make sure she completely understands the document. Emmrys told Global News Tuesday,
“Who is the most powerful advocate for autistic kids? Their parents,” “Who needs the information and needs the information understood? Their parents. Who’s going to be the primary interpreter of that report? It’s not going to be the assessor, he’s not available or she is not available. It’s going to be the parent.”
Shanna Worden was referred by a family doctor to a physician in the Vitalité Health Network for the diagnosis of her 11-year-old son, Chayse, who was later on found to be with level one autism. Although the consultation with the Vitalité Health Network physician was done in English, Worden was told that the physician would have to write the formal diagnosis in French— apparently in accordance with a provision as stated in the country’s Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act.
Worden hasa been trying since last August to have the diagnosis documents translated to English, but the Vitalité Health Network told her that it could not be done, as the law requires them to have the documents in their corporate language. She told:
“It was a really emotional day for me because I waited 11 years for it. [The doctor] said I know you don’t speak French, but this is the language I have to give it to you in because it’s corporate language.”
The provision in New Brunswick only states that the health care center must provide an interpreter if the information in question is not available in an individual’s spoken language.
After filing several complaints, Worden was later on told by the Vitalité Health Network that they could now have the translation done for her, but it will not be free. Worden says that this option is out of the question since she living in a low-income level, and that she believes that this service should be available for free.
Contributed by: Althea Estrella Violeta
Source: on the Global News website:UPDATED: Moncton mother wants autism diagnosis for her son translated to English
Moncton psychologist offers to translate child’s autism diagnosis for free