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Because every family deserves the blessing of a child with Down Syndrome... |
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Valery
Girl, Born September 27, 2006
Valery was born with CP and spina bifida. She has significant strabismus and “progressive hydrocephaly”. She is not able to walk, and is significantly delayed in all aspects. But she is still beautiful and deserving and can truly thrive in a loving family, with access to adequate medical care and nutrition. Valery will remain bedridden for life, and will likely not survive the transfer to the institution. Won’t someone consider being her “forever family”?
More photos available, please inquire.
Nastya
Girl, Born July 27, 2005
Nastya was born with spina bifida and minor hydrocephalus. She has had corrective surgery, but is not able to walk. She has already turned 7 and needs a family right away to save her spending the rest of her life bedridden in a mental institution.
PLEASE HELP!
More photos available, please inquire.
Victoria
Victoria (43)
Girl, Born December 4, 2004
Diagnosis: mental delay, microcephaly, partial hemiparesis, kyphoscoliosis, crossed eyes.
Nana
Girl, Born January 22, 2007
Nana is a precious little girl with sunshine blonde hair and blue eyes. Her medical records indicate prenatal alcohol abuse, resulting in severe CP and hydrocephaly. I so wish we had a better photo of Nana, and hope to get one soon so she has a better chance of finding a family to save her.
More photos available, please inquire.
Kiril
Boy, born July 2003
Little Kiril was born with microcephaly (a small head) as a result of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome). He is considered significantly delayed. He has brown hair and brown eyes, and so desperately wants to know life outside of this orphanage. He is a darling little boy, and the orphanage director would so love to find a family for him soon. He is able to stand, and can walk with help, but his speech is very delayed. With therapy and a loving family and educational opportunities, Kirill has so much potential in life!
Kiril has been transferred to a special needs school, not an institution. We have several other children waiting there who could be adopted with him.
If you are unfamiliar with FAS, please spend some time researching this condition. Just as with Down syndrome, FAS and FAE have a wide variation of effects on each child, both medically, physically, and cognitively. This is typically dependent on how long during the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, and of course, how much. There is no way to know this ahead of time.
UPDATE fall 2012:
Kiril is making progress, he can walk independently, he tries to service himself, tries to hold a spoon and eat by himself. He doesn’t speak, but tries to repeat words. He is very nice, quiet, not aggressive and very handsome, all caregivers love him.
He needs a family NOW.
Daniel
Boy, Born January 2006
HELP! I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED!
Daniel is facing a bedridden life in the mental institution without your help! Poor Daniel struggles with many health complications, but he can truly reach his full potential with a loving family. He has CP and hydrocephalus, along with some symptoms of epilepsy.
From his medical records: congenital hydrocephalus, spastic tetraparesis, movement disorders, symptomatic epilepsy, severe mental delay, partial optic atrophy.
From an adoptive family in summer 2012:
Daniel is not doing well. His head has enlarged quite a bit and both times I saw him he was lying down in a raised toddler bed. He clearly needs medical help for the hydrocephalus.
This region typically waives the 10 day waiting period for children with special needs.
Sergey
BOY, Born June 15, 2006
Sergey needs a loving family who can help him achieve his full potential. He is destined to be bedridden for his very short life if he is not adopted. he is able to sit on his own and does his best to get around. He is significantly delayed and really needs a family! Sergey is facing imminent transfer to the institution.
From his medical records: congenital brain anomaly, spastic tetraparesis, simptomatic epilepsy, generalized tonic clonic seizures, cryptorchidism, adenoid vegetation, bending-movable contractures of the hip joints, deficiency anemia, mental delay
Nate (26)
BOY, born August 2006
Nate is a handsome young man! He was born with CP, and has some vision problems as a result of CMV (cytomegalovirus). He has brown hair and big brown eyes. He is not able to walk on his own, but he will truly blossom in a loving family, who can provide the therapy and encouragement he needs. We are hoping to learn if he is being treated for the CMV, but he is asymptomatic at this time.
Jared (26)
Jared (26)
BOY, born May 1, 2007
This handsome young man, with dark hair and dark eyes, was born with a rare genetic condition called Stickler Syndrome. His medical records also indicate microcephaly, a common symptom of SS.
Individuals with Stickler syndrome experience a range of signs and symptoms. Some people have no signs and symptoms; others have some or all of the features described below. In addition, each feature of this syndrome may vary from subtle to severe.
A characteristic feature of Stickler syndrome is a somewhat flattened facial appearance. This is caused by underdeveloped bones in the middle of the face, including the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose. A particular group of physical features, called the Pierre Robin sequence, is common in children with Stickler syndrome. Robin sequence includes a U-shaped or sometimes V-shaped cleft palate (an opening in the roof of the mouth) with a tongue that is too large for the space formed by the small lower jaw. Children with a cleft palate are also prone to ear infections and occasionally swallowing difficulties.
Many people with Stickler syndrome are very nearsighted (described as having high myopia) because of the shape of the eye. People with eye involvement are prone to increased pressure within the eye (ocular hypertension) which could lead to glaucoma and tearing or detachment of the light-sensitive retina of the eye (retinal detachment). Cataract may also present as an ocular complication associated with Stickler’s Syndrome. The jelly-like substance within the eye (the vitreous humour) has a distinctive appearance in the types of Stickler syndrome associated with the COL2A1 and COL11A1 genes. As a result regular appointments to a specialist ophthalmologist are advised. The type of Stickler syndrome associated with the COL11A2 gene does not affect the eye.
People with this syndrome have problems that affect things other than the eyes and ears. Arthritis, abnormality to ends of long bones, vertebrae abnormality, curvature of the spine, scoliosis, joint pain, and double jointedness are all problems that can occur in the bones and joints. Physical characteristics of people with Stickler can include flat cheeks, flat nasal bridge, small upper jaw, pronounced upper lip groove, small lower jaw, and palate abnormalities, these tend to lessen with age and normal growth and palate abnormalities can be treated with routine surgery.
Another sign of Stickler syndrome is mild to severe hearing loss that, for some people, may be progressive (see hearing loss with craniofacial syndromes). The joints of affected children and young adults may be very flexible (hypermobile). Arthritis often appears at an early age and worsens as a person gets older. Learning difficulties, not intelligence, can also occur because of hearing and sight impairments if the school is not informed and the student is not assisted within the learning environment.
Stickler syndrome is thought to be associated with an increased incidence of mitral valve prolapse of the heart, although no definitive research supports this.
Vitaly
Boy, Born January 14, 2005
Little Vitaly is so handsome, with his dark hair and eyes! Vitaly was born with CP and is not able to walk at this time. He is moderately cognitively delayed, but will regress every day he is in this place. He is already living in an institution, and he needs to be rescued desperately. Otherwise he will never have a chance to walk, never have the opportunity for surgery or therapy.
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ABC NEWS: Hidden Angels
Diane Sawyer reports on the adoption of Mia Cox:
