Newly Listed Children

John: He presents difficulties in cognitive processes such as: verbal comprehension, visual space, fluid reasoning, which prevents him from learning according to his peers.

He receives classes and educational support under the tutelage of the educators, allowing him to reinforce each area of development. The child receives constant medical check-ups. Since his admission he receives psychological attention, according to the emotional and psychological needs of the child.

He and his sister have a good emotional relationship. He complies with norms and rules within the Center, respects his peers and the staff that works in the Institution.

Jane: The girl receives the necessary medical care, has been assessed in several areas of medicine such as: Traumatology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Neurosurgeon, Clinical Psychology, performing frequent health checks, in June 2018 she was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, like her brother, in the case of a hereditary disease. The care must be thorough, attend medical check-ups and use the creams prescribed by the specialist, it is possible that this disease will affect future learning.

From the assessment process carried out on the student, she shows difficulties in her cognitive processing skills, evidencing immaturity in learning. Her learning style is slow.

She has a good understanding and develops school activities correctly. It does not make it difficult for her to relate to her peers, she likes to talk and also communicate her feelings and emotions. Respect her peers and staff as well as abide by the rules and regulations of the Special Protection Center. She is attached to her brother.

Mike is interest in interacting with his peers. He has limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior.

Owen walks, runs, goes up and down steps and has good coordination between his upper and lower limbs. He has well developed fine motor skills. He is able to manipulate with objects of different size, as well as with different writing utensils. He is able to thread, inlay and assemble with support. He can move objects with his hands. He has a well developed auditory and visual memory. His attention is stable when he is interested in an activity. He is able to memorize, retain and reproduce  information related to his daily activities. He is attending a day program and making good progress there. He is happy and interactive. He does not have any behavioral concerns. He speaks in sentences of 3 or more words, can communicate his wants/needs and answer questions. He enjoys playing with other children and participates in group games.

Pearl is extremely small for her age. She only weighs 13lbs at 4 years old. She has been fed via a tube since birth. The staff at the orphanage have not attempted to teach her to eat via a bottle or spoon. She is not currently taking any medications and does not have any ongoing medical treatments.  She is alert, tracks objects, shows interest in what is going on around her and looks toward people and objects.

Eduardo has been in care since March 2018, with a mild cognitive disability. He has slight delays in general development about 6 years, and is making progress. Under normal weight and short height for age from chronic malnutrition. Astigmatism, myopia and strabismus, wears glasses. Difficulty in reading and writing, math and retaining information. Difficulty to maintain attention. Can become frustrated when can’t perform tasks that peers can. Needs motivation to keep trying. Child has no behavior problems. Gets along with peers. Takes pride in personal appearance. Follows instructions. Reserved with strangers, but affectionate with those he knows. With peers friendly, calm, and supportive. Interest in outdoor activities, sports, especially swimming, board games, puzzles and reading stories. Desires a mother and has an idea of having a brother to play with.

Marianne is a sweet and beautiful young girl, born with Down syndrome in April 2010! Marianne is hoping to find a forever family who loves her unconditionally. Contact MAA to learn more about Marianne and her special need!

VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-marianne1
Password: Adoptmaa

Jordi has a creative imagination and likes to draw! He also enjoys Legos, assembling jigsaw puzzles, watching cartoons, and outdoor activities including rollerblading and riding his bicycle!  Those who know Jordi describe him as thoughtful and kindhearted.

Jordi has a close bond with his foster family. His foster mother helps with his homework and reads picture books with him. His foster father takes him outside to play and reads bedtime stories to help him fall asleep at night. Jordi also enjoys playing with his younger foster brother.

Jordi has an ADHD diagnosis and taking medication. At home, his foster mother works with him to improve his concentration and patience. She noted he has made gradual improvements with his emotional growth and becoming more patient.  Jordi is in the 2nd grade, and his academic performance continues to develop with time.

Jordi is waiting for a family that will take him on outdoor adventures!

Jonah is described as a “clever” child who likes to explore new places!  Jonah enjoys hand crafts, such as origami and building blocks.  Jonah can be shy towards strangers and he takes time to warm up and feel comfortable around new people. Jonah has a close relationship to his foster family, especially his foster mother.  He is able to express thoughts about his day openly with her and express himself.

Jonah has a diagnosis of ADHD and is currently on medication to help with his concentration. Jonah is in 3rd grade and participates in his elementary school’s afterschool program.  He has an excellent academic performance and positive relationships with his peers!

Jonas is fond of music and LOVES to sway to the beat of the music! Jonas enjoys playing on riding toys and playing with toy cars.  He has a good bond with his foster family and acts affectionately towards them.

Jonas is receiving occupational therapy for fine motor delays and speech therapy for his language delays. Speech therapy has assisted him to build onto his vocabulary and he is now able to say two-three word phrases, such as “shui-shui” (water), “mama”, “fan-fan” (rice/food), and “wo-yao-chi” (I want to eat it.)! Jonas attends preschool where he has more learning stimulation and is able to work on his interpersonal interactions.

While Jonah and Jonas do not live in the same foster family, they have been able to connect on multiple occasions and had an overnight sleepover at Jonah’s foster home. Jonah enjoys taking walks with Jonas, and he is excited to help his brother when he can!

Jace’s favorite activity is building and playing with transformer robots.  When building a Transformer, he is fully focused while following instructions to ensure he does it right! He also enjoys playing with toy cars, drawing, hula-hooping, and running.  Those who know him say “Jace has a lively personality and is not afraid of strangers”.

Jace is living in a residential home with 6 children of similar ages. He attends elementary school, where he makes high marks on his school work.  Jace has a diagnosis of ADHD and his treatment plan includes medication.

Jaida has an active and playful imagination.  She LOVES to pretend she is a doctor visiting patients and enjoys playing pretend school!  Jaida enjoys drawing, playing with building blocks, and riding her bicycle.  She is not shy around strangers and easily establishes friendships with her peers.

Jaida has a diagnosis of Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (Type 1), hearing loss in her right ear, and overall global developmental delays.

Jaida attends special education classes.  Her teacher reports that she is highly motivated and catches on quickly to newly introduced lessons. Jaida recently learned how to write her name, and she’s starting to learn Mandarin phonetic symbols!

Jesper’s favorite activities include kicking around a Jianzi shuttlecock, spinning a Diabolo, and watching his favorite cartoons, Pokemon and Mysterious Joker!  Jesper is a bit shy around strangers and when in new environments. but once he warms up to a person he really enjoys interacting with that individual! Those who know him share that he is a warm hearted child who likes to help others, both at school and at the children’s home.

Jesper lives in a children’s home with 12 boys of similar ages.  Math and Mandarin are his favorite school subjects. Jesper’s teacher says he is bright and cheerful with a strong ability to learn.  Jesper takes initiative and isn’t afraid to ask his teacher or caregiver questions when he doesn’t understand his schoolwork.

Update April 2022:  The agency recently learned Addy’s, 3-year-old, brother has been approved for international adoption. He has developmental and speech delays.  Addy and her brother will be placed together.

 

Introducing six-year-old Addy! Addy’s foster family and social workers describe her as a gentle, quiet, and introverted young girl who is kind and affectionate towards familiar people. Addy enjoys working puzzles, making handicrafts such as origami and paper cutting, and skipping rope. We have videos of Addy performing all three tasks above and she really is quite talented! Addy has speech and developmental delays as well as suspected autism, although it is noted in a more recent medical update that she has made noticeable improvements in general knowledge, verbal language comprehension and abstract concepts. She is currently receiving speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy once per week, as well as physical programs to help increase her muscle strength. She can name daily life objects and their uses and respond to questions in complete sentences. Addy has much potential but lacks self-confidence.

Update Sep 2021:

According to her special education counselor, 7-year-old Addy has made remarkable improvements in self-confidence thanks to the support of her teacher and past learning experiences. Most recently, she is learning the concept of money through shopping activities and is training to enhance her muscle coordination and strength through arts and crafts. Addy has an intrinsic motivation to learn and doesn’t let her limitations of near sighted and borderline sensory integration disorder prevent her from trying new things. She is currently enrolled in gymnastics classes and focuses on four major exercises: horizontal bar, trampoline, balance beam, and floor.

Addy has an excellent relationship with her foster mother. She chats with people and laughs at funny things too. She likes to amuse a younger foster child at home and will protect her like a sister as well. Addy has been receiving extra visual training from her teacher at school. Her teacher reports that she is cooperative and will complete tasks that are required of her, even if she doesn’t enjoy them—like writing. She interacts enthusiastically and cheerfully with her classmates and enjoys taking part in activities with adults. When we asked Addy how she would describe herself, she responded beautiful, gentle, and introverted, whereas her classmates would describe her as a kind and generous person, who can be serious in class.

Jett:

Jett’s favorite activities include playing with building blocks, toy cars, and reading picture books with his caregivers!

Jett lives in a children’s home with 8 children of similar ages. He enjoys interacting and laughing with his peers, and he acts affectionately towards his caregivers.

We’re looking for a family for Jett and Addy who will be able to meet their diverse needs.  Jett is a toddler with language and social emotional delays.  While Addy is a grade schooler with developmental delays and possibly on the autism spectrum.

Keller: Is there anything cuter than a little 3 year old boy in a train shirt with yellow sleeves?  Keller had just turned 3 when agency staff met him in November. He has some developmentally delays, but seems to be doing really well. He may have some mild hearing loss, there is further testing scheduled. He likes playing with toy cars and playing outside. He communicates in short sentences and can follow 1 step directions. He scribbles with a crayon and made a nice stack of blocks for us. Keller has an older sister who is also available for adoption.

Kelsey:

She did well on all of the tasks asked of her. She even did some simple multiplication!

Kelsey told us her favorite color is pink and she loves bread. Her favorite animal is a water buffalo, which she had recently seen at the zoo. She likes playing outside, and when she gets to play frisbee in PE class at school. Kelsey is in the 2nd grade and her foster parents told us she especially excels in Mandarin and math.

Kelsey has been living with her current foster family for about year. Foster mom and dad both came to meet with us – which is rare, we usually just get to meet foster mom. It was clear that Kelsey has a good, trusting relationship with her foster parents – who we learned are both social workers! Kelsey has had a bit of a tough past, but it seemed to us that she is in a wonderful place now. Her foster parents confirmed that they have seen positive changes in Kelsey throughout the last few months.

Update 2022:

Keller is described as a lively, cuddly child.  To view his original post, click here.  Keller was seen by virtual SuperKids in February 2022 and wow, he has developed into a happy kid, loving to learn new things and share his knowledge!  Shy and reserved around the video camera, he was hesitant to sing for us but did hum the tunes of Paw Patrol while playing and interacting.  Some of his favorite cartoons are Paw Patrol, Robocar Poli, Masha and the Bear and Shimajiro!

Keller is almost 5 1/2 years old and learning in kindergarten class.  He is now able to participate in sports, ride a bike, paint, build towers, and enjoys watching cartoons.  He is receiving early intervention services and has an IEP, with goals of maintaining focus while in groups, improving fine motor skills and interpersonal interactions- all goals he is working hard to achieve!  He receives weekly speech therapy.

On a recent outing, Keller was able to go to Ocean World to watch the dolphin and sea lion show.  He really enjoyed this experience and seems to enjoy learning about animals and nature!  How amazing would it be for him to be home next years with his forever family, enjoying theme parks, aquariums, and the zoo?!

Keller is progressing in multiple areas, including language and motor skills – he enjoys singing songs, counting to 30, and working on fine motor skills such as using scissors.  Keller has received speech services for since 2019.  While he is working on various goals, there have been gains as he is able to shown ability to problem solve, and speaks in more complete sentences!  Keller responds to reward and encouragements in his day to day life.  He is encouraged by  receiving stickers when he learns something new!

Keller has quite the sweet tooth! He likes cakes, cookies and pudding.  He shared that they are yummy treats and shares his treats with his caregivers.   Keller wants to bake and eat cookies with you!

Kelsey: Kelsey will be nine years old soon and is still waiting for her family. When we met with her, she kept a steady smile on her face and appeared to be in good spirits. She told us that her favorite class in school is P.E. and she finds English class to be the most difficult. It certainly isn’t easy learning a second language, but she put her skills to use saying ‘thank you’ several times during our visit. We learned that Kelsey’s favorite sports are dodgeball and frisbee, and summertime is her favorite time of year. Kelsey showed off her knowledge by correctly answering our multiplication math problems without hesitation. Kelsey’s favorite colors are yellow and blue, and she told us she wants to be a dancing police officer when she grows up! Kelsey is a medically healthy and active young girl waiting for the loving family she deserves. She has been diagnosed with ADHD which is controlled with medication.

Brad walks independently. He plays with toys. He will fill a container with small toys and “pour” or “dump” into another container and continue the game back and forth. He can nest cups by putting them in the correct size order. He goes to other children, smiles to them and takes them by the hands. He smiles and observes with interest the faces of adults when gently talked to or sung to. He understands object permanency. He demonstrates pretend play skills related to kitchen/cooking (putting a spoon in a bowl and stirring, etc) and also bathing a baby. He shows good development in social play skills.

Bodie has a diagnosis of moderately impaired general condition which requires constant adult attention and supervision. He was born prematurely. He has congenital hydronephrosis grade 3 of both kidneys with congenital mega-ureters and is underdeveloped in his neurological and mental development.  He does not make eye contact and does not have developed speech — although he does not use words, he hums and shouts to express himself. He is interested in toys but without creative play. He began sitting independently at 2 years 9 months. He stands but cannot walk independently, and uses diapers day and night due to kidney condition, and requires constant adult supervision for his daily needs.   Additional photos and a brief video are available upon request.

Special needs: Prematurity III stage Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; persistent foramen ovale; peripheral pulmonary stenosis; moderate communicating hydrocephalus; retinopathy of a prematurely born child; convergent strabismus.

This is the case of a male child, born prematurely III degree (1180 g), with a complicated perinatal history and pathological neonatal period. Subsequently he developed moderate communicating hydrocephalus and is delayed in his motor and mental development; there are changes in his tone and reflexes.

The child was diagnosed with a congenital heart malformation (persisting foramen ovale and PAC), which required therapy for a certain period of time. His cardiac status has improved. Given the severe prematurity, he has retinopathy of a prematurely born child and strabismus. The ophthalmic status is being monitored. The boy needs to be followed up by a pediatric cardiologist, a neurologist and an ophthalmologist. A systematic motor rehabilitation is conducted.

The child can flip from back to front, he is unable to sit, he is unable to rise on his feet on his own. The boy reaches out and grabs with his hands and can hold toys for a short time. He follows with his eyes and turns his head after moving toys and people; he smiles when they talk to him gently; he winces and listens to a loud sounds and reacts briskly when familiar adults are talking to him. The boy pronounces sounds and random sound combinations. The child is completely dependent on the care of adults. Diapers are used.

Augustus was born full term, and was found that he has internal hydrocephalus; at the age of 4 months a liquid drainage valve system was implanted. The child lies in bed; he has spasticity in his limbs and his active and passive movements are limited. He depends completely on the care provided by adults. He receives kinesiotherapy. The child is subject to observation by a neurologist and by a neuro-surgeon.

The child’s lower and upper limbs are highly spastic and are with diffuse muscle hypotonia. His fine motor skills are not developed. He does not grasp a toy given to him. Atanas holds his hands bent in fists. He is seriously delayed in his psychomotor development. The boy reacts to tactile stimulation by adults. When teased, he does not smile. He is unable to interact with the other children. Atanas depends completely on the care provided by adults. He is fed by a bottle. From time to time he cries when given a shower. He sleeps well.

Nevan was born prematurely, to a young mother. He had a difficult neonatal period, with use of mechanical ventilation.
The child has a severe impairment of the central nervous system: posthemorrhagic internal hydrocephaly; a VPA shut was inserted in April 2018; later it was twice revised. The child is in a stationed impaired state of health. ECG: Persisting foramen ovale with positive natural evolution; no therapy needed.

Nevan will need observation by a neurosurgeon, pediatric cardiologist; he needs specialized care, physical therapy and kinesiotherapy.

The child turns his head towards sounds. When placed on his side by adults and with help, he can turn the lower part of his body and flip from back to front and vice versa. When awake he is placed in a baby chair. Coefficient of development: 8.
The boy laughs loudly when teased; he is happy when hearing the voice of a known to him adult that he likes. He reacts to the tone of the voice of the person speaking to him. He grasps a toy but does not manipulate with it. He falls easily asleep and sleeps well. He is fed with a bottle. He is calm when being changed and when being bathed.

This is the case of a male child born from a pathological pregnancy with very low weight and indications of congenital cytomegalovirus infection. In the early neonatal period posthemorrhagic internal hydrocephaly was found and at the age of 2 months a VP shunt was implanted. Due to malfunctioning of the shunt, it was replaced when the child was 9 months old.

Dean is in a stationed impaired general state of health with a severe quadriparetic syndrome, pseudobulbar paresis and cortical blindness. Also, total cataract of both eyes has been found which cannot be treated surgically due to the severely damaged state of health of the child. He is fed via a nasogastric tube. He is severely delayed in his physical and neuro-psychic development. His condition is being monitored by medical professionals.

This is the case of a male child born with extremely low weight (grade III immaturity) and heavy early neonatal period (intubation in the first minutes after his birth; seizures). Later he had disorder of the central nervous system, i.e. hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, multicystic encephalopathy, internal and external hydrocephalus. The child is in an impaired general state of health; he takes opisthotonos position; he has spastic quadriparesis and repeated day and night tonic seizures against the background of anticonvulsant therapy; myorelaxant medication is applied. He is not subject to surgical treatment and insertion of a VP shunt.
The child needs special care and supervision by medical specialists.

He depends completely on the staff taking care of him and often has respiratory infections. He takes food from a bottle and hardly takes in the quantity of food determined for him, and throws out from time to time. The boy reacts to speech and when being touched.

Alexei exhibits no interest to contact other children. He easily makes tactile contacts with adults with no resistance, including with strangers.

The child depends on the staff of the institution. Diapers are used; he does not communicate his physiological needs by crying. Sleeping routine: he naps in the day and sleeps at night; he easily falls asleep and easily wakes up. He has a routine in receiving proper food and liquids distributed over time.

Trey had a rough birth with vacuum extraction; he received treatment in the intensive care unit. He has been lagging behind in his neuro-psychic development since his early childhood. He started walking without aid late in his life.  He follows simple instructions and plays with musical toys; with assistance he nests rings. He often imposes his will. He is restless when sleeping. Trey often cries without a reason. He does not play with other children and prefers contacts with adults. At times he exhibits auto-aggression and stops after distraction.

Presently, the child does not show interest towards his environment and is not interested in the surrounding world. He looks at his toys and touches them but is not interested in them. He takes a toy but quickly throws it away. He does not react to his name but now he makes a difference between known people and strangers. When asked, he does not seek objects with his eyes. He reacts to sounds and likes it when people talk to him tenderly. He responds with joy to simple jesting. His speech is not developed; he produces guttural sounds and listens to them. He reacts positively when hearing human voices.

Trey has regular consultations with a psychologist and a speech therapist, as well as with a pediatric psychiatrist and a neurologist. His delay in his neuro-psychic development was confirmed. The child has undergone a surgery for his strabismus.

Randy recognizes letters and numbers and can say their names in English. He has difficulty with articulation and English is easier for him than his native language, though he does know both the English alphabet and that of his native language. He can recite his colors in English too. He speaks in short two word sentences that is difficult to understand due to articulation issues. He can add one digit numbers and 1 plus 2 digit numbers ending in zero (such as 20 + 4). He can identify most objects. He has difficulty with fine motor skills, such as handwriting. He feeds himself, and likes to smell everything before eating it. He can get undressed unassisted, but still requires some assistance with dressing, specifically with putting his shoes on. He is completely toilet trained. He still requires some assistance with getting dressed due to his fine motor delays. He demonstrates pretend play skills and has the ability to role play, like pretending to be a sleeping baby. He is hesitant when meeting strangers and takes time to adapt to new people and new situations. He enjoys playing with construction sets and legos. He is musical and will imitate melodies. He memorizes poems that are read to him.

The agency has videos from April 2022, which show him interacting with the team member who visited him, talking, answering questions, playing videos on a cell phone, and building a house with legos.

Bronner has recently started walking. He eats from a spoon. He explores toys, but often throws them. He remembers the activities of his daily routine and follows his daily schedule well. He explores his environment and interacts with other people.

Sadie has limited movement in her neck, back and hands/arms (due to limited movement of the shoulders). She has more range of motion in her left arm vs her right. She compensates for her limited mobility. She stands on her toes to reach objects (when she cannot extend her arms) and holds on to a support to bend down or she seeks assistance from an adult. She walks, plays with toys, and interacts with her environment. She can put together wooden puzzles, stack rings and perform other basic tasks. She can take the cap off a pen and tries to draw shapes. She interacts with familiar people. She initiates games such as peek-a-boo. She will point to things she wants to communicate her wants/needs. She dances along to music. She can say some simple single syllable words such as ma-ma, but mostly communicates with gestures. She lived in a home with a younger child for a while and did well with the younger child. The foster family limits her interactions with other people, because they are afraid she will get hurt, due to her physical limitations. She plays well with other people, when she is around them. She does not go to preschool due to the fear her foster family has that she will be injured. She shows a preference to certain objects and TV shows (Peppa Pig and Masha the Bear).

Videos from May 2022 show Sadie walking, playing with toys, putting a puzzle together and interacting with adults. The videos show Sadie’s physical limitations.

Julee likes to live a relaxed and easy lifestyle. She laughs around familiar caregivers and takes initiative to ask for hugs. Her caregivers report that she has a persistent personality and clear preferences. We have videos of Julee playing with toys, feeding herself with a spoon, walking with a baby walker, and more. We can see in the videos that she maintains good eye contact and are told that she is able to walk for 20-30 minutes if pushing a baby walker. She of course will take pauses to rest, but typically doesn’t sit down. Julee likes to watch T.V. and play with toys that make sounds. She has been diagnosed with spinal bifida and hydrocephalus and has delayed speech when compared with children her age. However, she has been receiving early interventions on weekly basis and she practices walking 3 to 4 times daily. Julee has received leg splints to support walking and improve muscle tone, and with great success, she is now able to stand up on her own! Could your family be the one Julee needs to support her as she reaches more developmental milestones?

Introducing….Natala! Natala likes crawling, rolling around, and making sounds like she is talking. Sometimes, when she is unhappy, she lets you know by crying and fussing but will calm down quickly once attended to. Natala has good adaptability for a young child and is not shy with strangers. Currently, Natala takes 2 short naps each day, once in mid-morning and once in the early afternoon. Her nap schedule is flexible. She can flip herself over while lying down, stay seated for up to 20 minutes with support, and has recently started crawling! Because she has high muscle tension, her legs sometimes stay lifted slightly in the air while crawling. Among many other capabilities, Natala is able to grasp objects in each hand and pass them from one hand to the other. Although Natala has delayed speech, she has shown progress between her most two recent visits in March and August of 2021. She currently understands a couple of simple words including ‘goodbye’ and ‘kiss’, in her language of course, and has normal hearing. Doctors are monitoring mild vision damage and plan to continue to assess her vision as she develops. Natala has also been diagnosed with epilepsy however since beginning medication, no tremors or twitching have been observed. Natala is currently being cared for by a foster family and has formed appropriate attachment to her foster mother. Young Natala needs a forever family that can support her, love her, and celebrate along with her as she continues to reach milestones. Could you be that family?

Update 2022:

Natala participated in our February 2022 Virtual Superkids trip.  She was 2 1/2 years old during the visit. Natala is a special girl who will require lifelong care by her adoptive parents.

Natala expresses her joy through smiling and laughing.  She enjoys toys that make sounds and lights up when playing with dolls.  She expresses sadness through crying.  Natala has global delays in development and non-verbal.  She is most comforted and connected to her foster mother.

Meet Norna!  If you have ever considered adopting an older child, we are very excited to tell you more about her! Norna is lively and likes to interact and converse with others. She is also described as agile and clever.  Her favorite foods are meat, she dislikes vegetables, and loves snacking on chocolates and candies. Norna told her social worker that she’s good at soccer. She described that she could juggle a soccer ball with the back of her foot and kick the ball over her head four times without dropping the ball! Norna also said that her favorite subjects in school are P.E. and science. She thinks that planting plants is fun! Norna is also musically talented. She likes to write and perform her own lyrics and melodies to express her feelings. Although Norna was born prematurely, she has good verbal expressions and can express her thoughts and feelings clearly. She also has age-appropriate development. Norna has been living with the same foster family for several years and her foster mother teaches her manners, good hygiene, and the importance of maintaining eye contact when speaking with others. Norna was diagnosed in June of 2019 with ADHD and currently takes medication to stabilize and maintain her concentration. She has since shown improvements.

Update 2022:

We learned some really neat things about Norna – and this was one of my favorites!  “Norna shared that she dressed up as Santa on Christmas to help the school principal pass out candies to students.  At that time, many classmates wanted certain colors of candies, and she was displeased because she thought having candies to eat is a very nice thing in itself already.  She does *not* like them being picky.  Norna also shared that the way she likes to celebrate birthday is to share her cake with everyone.  Anyone can join her celebration.”

Over the past few months Norna has been able to visit a theme park, which she enjoyed!  Norna enjoys PE class, playing on the computer and Calligraphy.  She has natural talent and appreciation for song and poetry!

Introducing Kellet! Kellet is a medically healthy 6-year-old boy who is active and very curious about new people and environments. He likes playing with younger children and is able to interact and share toys with peers. Kellet likes adventures and challenges and takes initiative to play with others. He has age-appropriate gross and fine motor skills; he can pour water without spilling, draw meaningful pictures, run and climb stairs without rails for support, throw and catch a ball, and much more! He also has good verbal expressions and age-appropriate language development. He can count from 1 to over 100! Kellet can also engage in back-and-forth conversation and tell a story by looking at pictures. He sleeps deeply at night and eats the same food as adults for three meals a day. We hear that Kellet has good focus at school and can follow class progress and teachers’ instructions.

Update May 2022:

Kellet was seen as a part of virtual SuperKids in February 2022.  Kellet recently turned 7!  Kellet is in first grade and his favorite subject is Math!  He is doing well in school and enjoys his friend group.  His social worker shares that she is impressed by his patience and involvement with activities during their time together.

Kellet shows his imagination through art and storytelling as he recently drew a picture for his best friend, who is a mermaid and lives in the sea!  Kellet expressed a desire to also be a mermaid, so he can be with her all the time!  How sweet is that?!  Kellet enjoys imaginary play through dress up with peers and enjoys playing with Legos.  Kellet is enthusiastic about life, playing games, and has a high level of attentiveness.  He lives in an area where he is able to hike and run in the outdoors- activities that he appears to enjoy!

Kellet has foster siblings.  When they are available, Kellet enjoys spending time with them.

Adrien is a charming and smiley boy. His behavior is very good, he respects the rules in the orphanage. He is interested in learning new things and willingly participate in games and activities. His skills are importing in all spheres. He is willing to play all games proper to his age.

One of Judson’s favorite activities is watching cartoons, especially Pokemon and Masha and the Bear!  Judson also enjoy singing along to his favorite nursery rhymes when they are played on tv or sung by his caregivers. Judson LOVES to take a ride on a bus and frequently asks his foster mom to go on rides!

Judson has a close attachment with his foster family, and affectionately refers to his older foster sisters as “aunties”. He’s curious in nature and likes to ask his foster mother questions.

Judson has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, speech and gross motor delays.  He is currently receiving regular therapy services. Judson is making great progress using his walker and holding onto the wall to steady himself as he walks!  His face lights up with joy as he moves around with his walker and explores new areas around him! Judson can count to 10 and he can recognize colors – with pink being his favorite.

Meet Jolie!  Jolie enjoys walks with her caregiver.  Her favorite part of their walk is when her caregiver speeds up pushing her stroller, and Jolie giggles with joy!  Jolie loves being embraced by her caregivers and communicates with them through giggles and cooing.  

 Jolie has a diagnosis of epilepsy, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, low vision, and overall global delays. Jolie continues to make progress in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, which she attends once a week.  Jolie recently accomplished being able to turn her body over from her back to her side! 

 Jolie needs a loving, patient, and caring family who will be able to provide lifelong care and help her develop to her full potential.

Lena has a diagnosis of Turner Syndrome with associated delays and epilepsy.

Brandon  walks, runs and climbs. His right side has some weakness, but he is able to use his right leg and right arm/hand. He does favor his left arm/hand and completes more activities using his left hand. However, he can use his right hand and has recently started completing activities with the right hand as well. Brandon speaks in sentences. He asks questions and cal also answer questions appropriately and follow verbal directions. He knows his colors and body parts. He’s currently working on learning to tell time. He is able to play and draw independently. He enjoys playing with cars/trucks and robots. He enjoys playing on the playground with other children. He can independently climb/play on the play structures. He is receiving academic instruction and therapy to help with deficits. He continues to make progress both physically and developmentally.

Sanders was born in August of 2008 with cerebral palsy, global developmental delays, and epilepsy. In 2019, he has a gastrectomy surgery. Sanders has grown up in an orphanage and has never known the love of a family. Sanders has certain gestures when he sees people of his liking. On February 22, 2018, he had a surgery for tendon lengthening of the adductor muscle. Sanders continues his stage of schooling. In addition, he attends physiotherapies, which are important for his muscle development.

Contact the adoption agency to learn more about Sanders! They’d love to share photos and more information privately with an interested family! We hope his family sees him soon to give him lots of affection and love!