Other Special Needs

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.

Billy is described as having an affectionate bond with his caregivers and those around him. He smiles easily and often when shown affection or cared for, and loves to be held. He babbles and needs help walking. Billy is not yet two and imitates and interacts with others, shows initiative in walking, manages to hold more than one object at a time, grasps small objects and expresses pleasure in contact with different textures, he is learning to put figures in their corresponding place, however, with help they can carry out this activity. On the other hand, he is responsive when asked to hand over a toy, and is cooperative when dressed and fed. He likes to play with other children, interacts with adults, shows a social smile and is interested in having stories read to him.

Billy is alert and recognizes when he is called by name, maintains adequate periods of attention to different types of stimuli, both visual, tactile and auditory, and monitors them, responding assertively to environmental demands.

Although Billy is behind developmentally, he has and is making strides in his overall development. Billy is alert to his environment and recognizes facial features appropriately in terms of modo, and he cries or smiles appropriately. He recognizes things that bring his discomfort such as wet diaper, being hungry or tired, or  an injury, and responds appropriately.

He has diagnosis of Imperforate Anus, neurodevelopmental disorder and intellectual disability as evidenced in his intellectual and developmental delays. He has had previous urinary tract infections caused by E. Coli and Klebsiella Pneumonia, Imperforate Anus, possible Trigonocephaly, trend to microcephaly, may have other associated conditions.

Update 2022: He had surgery to repair his imperfect anus and his colostomy removed. Surgery was successful and he is eating and eliminating well. We also now have a brief video of Billy.

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.

Wayne recently turned 5 years old. He has had surgery to repair the cleft lip and palate. He will be having orthodontic treatment and possible surgery on his nose in the future. His hearing was tested in June 2021 and it was determined that he has mild hearing loss of 10/15 decibels bilaterally.

His physical development is on track for his age. He walks, runs, kicks a ball, climbs, etc. His fine motor skills and speech are delayed. He has delays in his intellectual development and has difficulty with focus and attention. He attempts to communicate using non-verbal gestures and sounds or emotions. He is not aggressive and does not have any behavioral concerns. He was recently moved from a large orphanage into foster care, where he is learning new skills. He is completely toilet trained.

Nora lived with her birth family until she was 3 years old. She was removed due to neglect and placed with a foster family. She lived there for 2 years. The foster family did not want to raise a child with disabilities, so Nora was moved into a group home. Nora likes listening to children’s songs and singing, watching TV, cartoons, playing with a ball and with dolls. During the summer, she loves playing on the swing. Nora walks independently while swinging her left leg.

Her fine motor skills are underdeveloped; she has not formed skills for writing. She has a poor grip in the left hand. She recognizes parts of her body – hands, nose, ears. She recognizes her reflection in a mirror. She interacts appropriately with both children and staff in the group home. She enjoys talking and speaks freely in conversation with the other children. She follows directions and can answer questions, though she often just smiles when asked a question (which may be because she doesn’t understand the question or doesn’t know the answer).

Photos and videos from March 2022 are available through the agency.

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.

Zeek is being taught to use a wheelchair. He can currently turn, but has not yet mastered going forward and backwards. He is also learning to pull his torso up and move around when in his bed or on the floor. He can physically handle toys. He picks them up, transfers them between hands, looks for them and retrieves them if he drops them. He can push buttons and activate sensory toys. He follows simple directions such as “give me”. He plays peek-a-boo. He enjoys interacting with the staff. He will hold out his hand for a hand shake, make kissing noises, and reaches to be held. He uses his hands to show how big he will grow up to be when asked by an adult. He is pronouncing sounds and syllables.

Updated May 2022: Zeek was recently moved from a large orphanage to a small group home, where he’s now receiving more interaction and attention. His language skills have started developing. He can now say several words. He enjoys interacting with staff and responds when he receives attention. He enjoys music.

Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (with hearing aid); shunt due to internal hydrocephalus; spastic cerebral palsy

Tyson was born premature and had several complications after birth. He can sit on his own with good balanced reactions. He crawls following the correct motor model. He stands up and walks sideways vertically. He can walk when one of his hands is held and has more control when it’s his right hand being held. He can stand up straight without falling for 2-3 seconds. When walking with a walker, he begins to bend his knees. He purposefully grabs a toy that is handed to him and can switch it from hand to hand. He shows an interest in musical toys and enjoys them. He has started making sounds and simply syllables such as “ma-ma”. He enjoys having someone sing to him and likes to receive hugs. He eats from a spoon. His overall development is delayed.

Photos and videos from August 2020 are available through the agency.

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?

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.

 

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.

The agency has many photos and videos of Allison that can’t be shared publicly. Allison is described as vibrant and friendly. She likes to cuddle with caregivers. She likes to play with any toy given to her, and she is still learning how to properly play with different types of toys.

Allison has cerebral palsy and microcephalus. She is delayed developmentally. Allison is able to pull herself to standing (we have video of her doing this!) and can stand alone without support for 10-20 seconds. She can also take a few steps when holding onto something for support. She responds to her name but is not yet saying any words.

Allison’s birth mother made the difficult decision to make an adoption plan for Allison so that she can receive the best care available. Her birth mother visits her at the children’s home on a regular basis. I’m sure it would ease her birth mother’s mind to know that Allison has a loving family who is able to meet her needs and help her thrive.

 

Update April 2020:Allison enjoys watching cartoons and playing with stimulating toys; especially ones with sound and light!  Allison communicates through giggles and physical contact.  Allison has global developmental delays and needs a family who can celebrate her and help her reach her full potential.

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!

Zeke has a pair of small eyes, but his eyes are bright. He is an obedient child, is active. Every morning he helps mom to fold up a quilt, clean and take care of young sister; he helps sister to put on clothes and he is very diligent. He holds sister’s hands to go to school and helps sister to go upstairs when back home after school; he teaches sister to sing children’s songs, play games, draw and he watches carton with sister together; he puts food onto the plates of sister when having a meal; he is a little sweet guy and is so caring. He speaks clearly.

Zeke gets along well with classmates in the class; they like to play with him. When his foster mom takes him to play outdoors, he always runs around mom and doesn’t let her out of his sight; he is naughty and adored. He loves sports, loves to run, loves to jump and loves small toys. He likes to take photos and is good at making pose; he always makes a handsome pose to ask mom to take photos for him.

Zeke is very clever. He loves to learn, to use his head and has good memory. He knows the knowledge taught by the teacher and is able to finish his homework alone; he would teach sister to draw and write after school. He is careful in learning; he also likes to play puzzles with sister and spell outs various patterns.

Super sweet Luna reads and writes in Braille, and uses an abacus for math. She is described as resilient and extroverted! She loves to swim, play music and sing. Luna wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. Luna wants a family where she can be the youngest child, and get lots of attention from a mom and a dad.

When they were listed in 2015, Audrey was 8 years old and Anna was 10 years old. They are sisters who express a lot of love and care for one another. They wish to be adopted together, and hope to find a forever family.

Adeline is communicative with children and adults. She answers questions. Her expressive and impressive speech is developing. She follows verbal directions. She demonstrates a desire for emotional closeness. She willingly interacts with children and adults. She has established friendly relationships with her classmates. She loves listening music and dancing, as well as, drawing and coloring. She has delays in academics and receives support from a resource teacher at school.

Summer is quiet, friendly and always smiles when she is seen by an adult. She almost eats without help – but she eats slowly. She almost goes up and down the stairway by herself. She does not want to always participate in all activities and needs extra motivation. She expresses her feelings with mimics and movements. She has started to speak and pronounces some words. Summer loves music, reading, books and swinging on the horse.

She wants adult’s attention and likes to lean on an adult, sit in their lap, and give hugs. Her fine and gross motors skills development are adequate. She is friendly with adults and children.

Mary Beth is a sweet and cuddly little girl. She was a premature baby, and was diagnosed with laryngeal cartilage dysplasia. Mary Beth has been healthy, but her muscular tension is high. She is unable to sit, crawl, or hold anything in her hands. Mary Beth is not speaking, and does not often respond to those talking to her. When she is upset, a long hug and cuddle will calm her. She has many delays. We do not know what the future holds for this sweet little one, but with a loving family and therapies, she will be able to reach her full potential. Mary Beth needs a family soon.

Marvelous Mavis will steal your heart! She is quick to smile and loves being picked up and held for comfort. Shortly after entering into the orphanage Mavis was diagnosed with epilepsy which is now managed by medication and careful attention to her diet. Mavis’ skills are steadily improving and with the support of her foster family she can now sit, and stand with assistance. When playing on her own, Mavis sits quietly; seemingly enjoying her surroundings! Mavis’ foster family “hopes she will soon find a family who will love her so she can enjoy the love of her forever parents and have a happy childhood”.

April seems to be so joyful. She has ready smile and laughs easily and when she laughs you can see her dimples. She attends primary school and is on the same level as her peers. For more information on the sweet girl please inquire, for agency contact information.

Cora currently lives with a foster family. She has mental delays, some stereotypical movements, and difficulty with eye contact and social interactions. She was diagnosis with Atypical Autism in 2017. She is physically healthy. She is toilet trained and feeds herself. She is described as a happy child who has a contagious smile and laughter. Her caregivers attribute her learning delays to early neglect.

Most of the time, Caryn is calm, especially when she is in the playroom. When somebody pays attention to her, she laughs loudly. Caryn totally depends on the care of others. She sleeps peacefully and stays calm when getting dressed and bathing. She has cerebral palsy and needs specific care, though she has no severe deficit in terms of physical activity.

From a teacher who works with her: This little blind girl is progressing so well, but she is so scared. Can you imagine to be in a world where at any given moment you could get pinched, pushed over, knocked down, hair pulled, eyes poked. I don’t blame her, especially when there are so many other special needs children around her and so few staff and no family love and care. But inspite of all of this she is a fighter and a giggler.

Gabi is physically healthy with normal physical development. She is radiant and very active.

Gabi responds adequately to praise and punishment. Gabi establishes and maintains eye contact. She seeks the attention of the people around and she seeks familiar people and their closeness purposefully.

Gabi understands the meaning of words that are often used in her surroundings. She expresses her needs and wishes through vocalization.

In her spare time Gabi likes watching TV, playing on a phone, listening to music and going out for walks.

Melany is physically healthy with mild intellectual delays. She is in 7^th grade and has worked with a resource teacher online during the 2020-2021 school year. She is described as shy and introverted, though she communicates freely with familiar people. She enjoys talking about topics that interest her and is very friendly. She has friends at school and at the children’s center where she lives. She states that her dreams are to have a family, finish school and become a teacher. When asked what adoption means, she said, “to have a family, to live forever with these people who take care of you and not to be left alone anymore”.

He has been living with a foster family since 2013.

He has a systolic murmur along the precordium; hyperkinetic conduct disorder and a mild mental delay. The child started walking on time, but his speech is underdeveloped. The child cannot stay focused for a long time while playing. He understands and follows simple instructions.

The agency has current medical reports available for serious inquiries.

UPDATE March 2017:   previous Diagnosis of Atypical autism that was changed to hyperkinetic disorder, very interested in motor activities. Responds to positive interactions and praise from familiar adults, but can become anxious in new situations or if a familiar caregiver is not around. He seeks comfort from familiar adults and can become sad if one leaves.

Damian is able to speak and understand everything but prefers using mimics and gestures to communicate.

He prefers sporting and free activities. He orientates well and quickly when solving puzzles. He likes riding a bicycle, playing with pins and mini-soccer.

Damian participates in playing activities, both individual and group, but often does not follow the rules. Damian is able to make his bed when he gets up. He can fold his clothes and tidy his wardrobe. He needs to be reminded about maintaining his personal hygiene and shows no interest in acquiring skills for cleaning and maintaining his personal space, cleaning utensils and other daily activities.

Damian eats well and sleeps calmly. His attitude towards possible adoption is positive.

Ollie is now living in foster care. He is physically well developed. He has good coordination of his hands and feet. He walks without falling, and can run as well. Climbs up and goes down by the stairs when holding an adult or the railing. He can play with cubes by putting them and taking them out of a cup, but has some problems manipulating with smaller objects. He cannot eat and dress by himself yet, but does make attempts. He understood almost everything and fulfils small tasks. He likes playing hide and seek. He hides behind the door and when he is found, he laughs and stomps his feet. He is interested in musical cartoons and copies the movements of the actors.

*There is a younger child that is believed to be Ollie’s younger brother. However, they are NOT listed as needing to be adopted together. The other child is listed as Ozzie.

Brandt loves riding bikes and playing soccer and plays for the soccer team at his school. His caregivers describe him as a cheerful child who is talkative and very sweet He attends 1st grade and his favorite class is where they learn the ABC’s. He is not a fan of coloring or drawing and when he doesn’t like an activity at school, he prefers to go to the bathroom and clean. He is calm and loving with other children and he enjoys social activities and helping with chores.

Brandt had a complicated birth history, and was premature. He typically wears glasses. Brandt needs a prospective adoptive family with excellent educational resources including ESL support, and a good understanding of developmental trauma, institutionalization and older child adoption. He needs a family that is open to some unknowns.

Phineas is described by nannies as an observant child who has positive relationships with peers and caregivers. He enjoys being with his caretakers and knows/understands their individual personalities and is challenging for him when he has a new caregiver. He gives and receives affection with individuals he likes. He participates in the orphanage activities and loves to explore. He can express his feelings if his caregivers encourage it and knows some self-care.

Phineas needs a loving family that can provide a nurturing environment, felt safety, and knowledge regarding older child adoption.

Quinntavius is missing his right hand. It looks as if he may have ptosis (droopy eye lid) of his left eye, but that is not a formal diagnosis. Quinntavius likes to look at picture books and be read to. He really enjoys going outside and playing and basking in the sunshine. Quinntavius has good fine motor skills and is very observant. He knows his name and likes hearing his named called. Quinntavius has good expression and is very curious. He is a quiet boy and doesn’t cry often. He can combine actions with words, such as shaking his head no and saying no. He really likes to play with toys, especially blocks, and he enjoys rolling balls. Quinntavius sounds like a wonderful little boy who doesn’t let anything stop him. Now he just needs a forever family of his own! Video available from spring 2017.

When Gentry was born he had a bad case of pneumonia and was behind his friends in his physical development. Gentry’s pneumonia cleared up, but it has taken him a little while to learn to do things that his friends could do. At 7 months he started to hold his head up and roll over. At 9 months he was able to sit up all by himself and look for my caregivers when they called his name. When the doctors started to examine Gentry they found that one of his testicles was descended. Gentry also has leukoma in his left eye. Gentry can follow toys from side to side so his caregivers do not know if it is affecting his vision. Gentry loves to laugh, imitate caregivers, and groove to the music.

May 2019 Written Update:His mental ability is similar to other kids of the same age. He has thalassemia and needs blood transfusion every month. He has a good personality. He is quiet. He listens to the staff, and likes reading, painting, singing, and playing chess. He is well behaved. Duncan has no delays with gross motor or fine motor skills. He attends school. Duncan has a close friend at the orphanage. He knows how to care for others. His social skills are good and he gets along well with others.
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“I love observing others in a big group of people and seeing others happy makes me happy. I am an easy kid who doesn’t need much to be entertained. I just like holding hands and feeling close to people. I’m a total lover, not a fighter! I always listen to what my nannies ask of me and I obey with a smile on my face. I’m gentle with my friends and treat all my belongings with care. People who know me describe me as sweet, shy, loving, happy, kind, and as a good listener.” This was written by volunteers who have gotten to know Duncan well over the years. What a gem of a kid! And don’t get us started on that smile….that smile that pretty much never leaves his face!

Duncan was born in January of 2009 with beta thalassemia major and is transfusion dependent. He needs a blood transfusion approximately every 3 weeks and he receives iron chelation daily. He is easy-going, obedient, and very happy. Unfortunately, Duncan has not been able to attend school outside of the orphanage due to his needs, but does receive schooling inside the orphanage. He knows how to count and can draw, color, and sing songs. Duncan is a polite boy who gets along well with all of his friends. A forever family and the medical care Duncan could receive in the United States would be life-changing for this precious boy!

There are several videos available.

There is a $4,000 agency grant for Duncan’s adoption with his current adoption agency. The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation is also giving a $1,000 grant for any child with transfusion dependent thalassemia.