Reflects on the resettlement of Southeast Asian refugees in cities and towns throughout the United States, 10 years after the first wave of refugees arrived in 1975. At the time of writing, about one third of the refugees had settled in California, with a significant concentration in San Diego County. More than half of these refugees fell into the pediatric age range. The tendency to consider the refugees as one people reflected ignorance of important differences. The Vietnamese, the Cambodian (also known as Khmer), the lowland Laotians, and the highland Laotians (primarily the Hmong) all have different histories, cultural customs, and languages. They are even different in terms of disease prevalence, as has been documented by health screenings of newly arrived refugees. A lack of appreciation of cultural beliefs and practices, including the use of herbal medicine and folk remedies, also has hampered the provision of pediatric care and has led to inappropriate accusations of child mistreatment. Clinicians need to educate themselves about the experiences, family structures, and values of their diverse Southeast Asian clientele in order to provide optimal health care services.
