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Mal de ojo, sometimes called “evil eye,” is a folk illness which most commonly affects children [1]. It has been defined as a hex caused by a gaze from a more powerful or stronger person looking at a weaker person. the evil eye is more common among babies, but sometimes mothers may be curse by the spirit [2]. It may be someone from outside the family looking at the child with envy, or a stare from a powerful person who is admiring the child. It is usually caused inadvertently. Mal de ojo is not unique to Hispanic cultures. Other cultures have similar beliefs of an "evil eye," including some in the Mediterranean region and some Muslim cultures. The Gujarati's culture in India refer to the evil eye as najar [3] and the people of Bangladesh refer to it as nazar [4].
Symptoms[edit]
Those affected may suffer symptoms including headaches, high fever, diarrhea, not sleeping well, increased fussiness, and weeping [5]. The child may have several digestive problems with symptoms similiar to those of colic, such as unexplained fussing or crying for several hours [6].
Treatment[edit]
It is thought that shielding the infant from powerful people's direct eye contact can prevent mal de ojo. Having the powerful adult touch the child on the head is also thought to prevent mal de ojo, and a traditional treatment for mal de ojo is to find the person who placed the hex and have them touch the affected child. If this is not possible, a healer (usually a relative or a curandera) may roll a egg over the sufferer's body. The egg is then cracked, placed in a glass of water, and set under the bed of the sufferer [7]. Sometimes a straw cross is made on top of the glass. Prayers are usually said during this ritual.
Mal de ojo is thought to persist if untreated and may progress to ojo pasado, characterized by severe coughing and vomiting, which may be fatal. In the Bangladesh culture, the woman and the child may be given an amulet, or a charm, that wards off the evil spirit [8]. Many famalies restrict visitors to come see the newborn during it's first few weeks of life.
Cultural Perception[edit]
Diagnoses of the evil eye are mostly made in Hispanic, Indian, and Muslim cultures. All of which share the same belief of its cause and practice similiar methods for treatment. There is very few studies of the evil eye being diangosed in the American culture. It is not fully known what diseases in Western medicine correlate with mal de ojo, however, in severe cases the symptoms are similar to those of sepsis and should warrant a medical evaluation. Cases of mal de ojo with frequent crying and no other symptoms are thought to be similar to colic [9].
References[edit]
- ^ American Psychiatric Association(2000). "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders", Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
- ^ Spiro, A. M.(2005). Najar or Bhut-Evil Eye or Ghost Affliction: Gujarati Views about Illness Causation. Anthropology & Medicine, 12(1), 61-73. doi:10.1080/13648470500049867.
- ^ Spiro, A. M.(2005). Najar or Bhut-Evil Eye or Ghost Affliction: Gujarati Views about Illness Causation. Anthropology & Medicine, 12(1), 61-73. doi:10.1080/13648470500049867
- ^ Winch, P. J., Alam, M., Akther, A., Afraz, D., Ali, N., Ellis, A. E., & ... Seraji, M. (2005). Local understandings of vulnerability and protection during the neonatal period in Sylhet district, Bangladesh: a qualitative study. The Lancet, 366(9484), 475-485. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66836-5 http://huie.hsu.edu:2097/ehost/detail?hid=13&sid=c81f8c9e-5ee6-44d2-b179-da36012a52fd%40sessionmgr10&vid=9&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=psyh&AN=2005-09118-003
- ^ American Psychiatric Association(2000). "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders", Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
- ^ Wikipedia. "Baby colic." 1 May 2011.[1]
- ^ da Silva, G. C. (1984). Awareness of Hispanic cultural issues in the health care setting. Children's Health Care, 13(1), 4-10. doi:10.1207/s15326888chc1301_1 [2]
- ^ Spiro, A. M.(2005). Najar or Bhut-Evil Eye or Ghost Affliction: Gujarati Views about Illness Causation. Anthropology & Medicine, 12(1), 61-73. doi:10.1080/13648470500049867
- ^ American Psychiatric Association(2000). "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders", Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.