Other Special Needs

Danny loves being in the playroom at the orphanage. He plays with toys and gets very excited when adults interact with him. He enjoys listening to music. He participates in therapy each day to work on learning new skills.

UPDATE August 2022: He pulls to a stand in his crib. He crawls using his arms to drag his lower body (“army crawl”). He has a lot of upper body strength. He participates in group activities. He plays with toys. He pushes the buttons on toys, “dials” a toy phone, etc. He follows simple directions. He says a few simple words. He responds to his name. He enjoys listening to music. He eats from a spoon and drinks from an open cup. He tries very hard to be more mobile, despite his lower paralysis. As a result, he has broken a bone in one of his legs. The staff tries to keep him sitting in a chair where he can see everything going on in the room and participate in activities, without risking further injury to his leg. He interacts with other children sitting around him.

Alan’s grant was gifted to Bennett & Florence.

Alan is a smiley, friendly boy who likes to engage with the people around him! Although Alan does not talk, he is very vocal and knows how to communicate. He is good at tracking people and objects with his eyes. At school, he has been working on using an eye gaze program to speak through a dynavox. He needs assistance with holding his head but he focuses really hard and gets excited when he can say things. When asked a yes/no question, he will raise his eyebrows for yes or shake his head for no. He is quite opinionated, especially when he is hungry!

At school he uses his arm moving it along a cookie sheet to spell words, make sentences, answer questions, etc. He also likes to use his arms to reach out and tag you, unplug cords or get cellphones… such a jokester he is! When he doesn’t want to work or he is tired then it is harder to get him to respond.

Alan has a g-tube but does still eat all meals blended by mouth and drinks water well from a honey bear bottle squeezed for him. His g-tube is used to supplement snacks for weight gain, to give him more water and to ensure he gets all his medicine properly. Some times when he is sick or is having a difficult time eating safely by mouth then he chooses to use his tube for meals. This helps us to ensure he is getting enough food/water too. When you ask him, he will often indicate to us he wants to be fed via his tube when he is struggling. Alan was slow to gain weight for a long time. He threw up a lot when he was on a milk-based formula and cried like he was in pain. Since then he has remained mostly dairy free and now his diet is supplemented with real food blends. There has been positive improvement overall!!

In the past, he had a couple unexplained episodes that were thought to be seizures. He is on Keppra but has not had any recently so his medical caregivers will try to wean him off soon to see how he does. The heat does seem to affect him so he is often more uncomfortable/grumpy in the summer months here in his home country. It is no surprise then that he loves when he has a fan by him to cool him down or if he is involved in water play. Swimming in pools or sitting in his water chair are two of his favorite activities to beat the summer heat. When swimming he likes to float on his belly and paddle his arms and kick. It’s a workout with him in the pool because of how excited he gets! With little head control, he has benefited from a float that can keep his head up while he tries to move his arms. He attends therapy four times a week currently. The therapists say he does much better in the stander when he has had his stretching beforehand. Often though he is not a big fan of standing unless someone sits with him and interacts with him.

Alan enjoys being held by his caregivers and going for walks. Going over bumps makes him laugh a lot. He loves to interact with his other friends in his foster family. He will make a great addition to his forever family and has so much potential!! Alan LOVES music and dancing. He gets really excited when people want to sing to him or help him dance. Sometimes if you are holding under his armpits he will lift up his feet like he is trying to walk. He can also flip himself over super fast. He keeps everyone laughing when he is in his good, giggly moods!

Agency staff met sweet Salvador in July of 2022. Salvador receives physical, occupational, and language therapy weekly. He is doing well with advances in development. He walks, jumps, and climbs the stands. He combines words, counts numbers from 1 to 20, and says about 25 words. Salvador can feed himself with help. Contact the adoption agency to learn more about this sweet boy!

VIDEOS:

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador1
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador2
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador3
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador4
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador5
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador6
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador7
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador8
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador9

Password: Adoptmaa

Seeley had just turned 5 years old (these photos are from 2014) when he was listed. He was born with club feet and scoliosis. He is a smart and observant little boy who enjoys playing with building blocks.

Seeley will need treatment to straighten his feet, so he can hopefully be mobile. He needs a family to help him get the medical care he needs in order to reach his full potential!

Pattie has FAS, hypothyroidism and mental delay.

She completed 3^rd grade and needs help with her classes. Her caregivers describe her as kind and nice girl who smiles a lot. She has a positive attitude with her peers and adults. She is very close with her brother.

Paul graduated from kindergarten this year. His health is good, but he has a speech impairment and minor developmental delay.  He likes to play outside and enjoys soccer and biking. He loves art and is making progress with learning.

They are nice children who are dreaming of having parents and will do well in a family.

Sariah is an adorable little gal, born in summer of 2019, who is described as affectionate and calm. She has established routines for sleeping. She has right hand dominance and can play independently for 15 minutes. She is not potty trained yet. Sariah can reach for objects in front of her, can turn around, and has good head control. She can move around on a mat without help and follow objects with her eyes. She reaches for objects close to her, can adapt to other spaces, and shakes objects that make noise.

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-sariah
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-sariah2
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-sariah3
Password: Adoptmaa

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.

This silly and playful girl doesn’t like to be alone and prefers to be surrounded by friends. She likes to joke around and giggle. She has been to the beach and the waterpark and enjoys swimming. She loves chocolate milk. She is described as confident and independent by her caregivers.

Poppy has been in the orphanage her entire life. This silly girl needs a prospective adoptive family with excellent medical, educational, ESL resources, play therapy and have a good understanding of institutionalization and older child adoption.

Update 7/22:Poppy is a silly and playful girl who loves to draw and paint. She is very outgoing and is a leader among her friends. She gives affection to her best friends and doesn’t like it when her friends argue. She would like to be adopted and would love to have either a dog or a cat and someday visit the ocean. She is described as confident and independent by her caregivers. She receives regular treatment for her medical needs. She has been in the orphanage her entire life. Poppy is an outgoing child who needs an adoptive family with excellent medical, educational, ESL resources, and have a good understanding of institutionalization and older child adoption. Holt staff have met Poppy and are available to share their impressions.

Peyton is in the 1st grade and enjoys computers, science and math. She is vocal with her opinion and her frustrations and wants attention from her caregivers. She likes to be different than the other girls in her orphanage and she participates in the orphanage group activities. She likes to save her allowance, loves cats, and enjoys playing ping pong. She is sad when the older girls in the orphanage pick on her. She has been to camp and loved to play in the swimming pool.

Peyton has been in the orphanage her entire life. This unique girl needs a prospective adoptive family with good educational, ESL resources, play therapy and have a good understanding of institutionalization and older child adoption.

 

Update 7/22:

 Peyton is described as a self-confident, assertive, and humorous young girl. She listens wells and is rational when problem solving with peers. Her favorite classes are Thai acting, art, and music. She knows some English language including her name and numbers. She is said to have close friendships with children of all ages in her current home. She speaks politely and shares well with others. One of her favorite memories is attending camp where she was able to swim in the pool. Peyton hopes to be adopted and is excited about her future family. She continuously speaks about a potential adoptive family one day.

An ideal adoptive family for Peyton includes a mom and a dad with no other children in the home. She hopes her adoptive family has a pet cat. The family should understand developmental trauma, institutionalization, and older child adoption. They should have good educational, ESL, and therapeutic resources for Peyton to grow to her potential.

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.

UPDATE 7/21:

Described as tidy, helpful and observant, Phineas is a sensitive boy who needs time to warm up to new people and new situations. His focus is interest-based and he really enjoys exploring, playing, and spending time with his favorite male caregiver (an orphanage volunteer).

This curious boy has been institutionalized since infancy. He would benefit from individualized attention and, as such, would do best as the youngest or only child. He needs a loving family that will provide a safe and nurturing home environment that offers the safety necessary for him to expand to explore his inner world and interests with confidence. His parent(s) should have a warm demeanor and prescribe to the use of positive and connected parenting strategies that propel Phineas to feel empowered.

Aurora is a cheerful child who smiles a lot. She has no problems interacting with kids and adults. She enjoys her individual sessions with her therapists and is typically very involved. She learns how to dress and undress, comb her hair and wash her hands without help. She understands the language but doesn’t speak it yet. She is trying and they are working to motivate her to talk. She recognizes and repeats the sounds of several farm animals and recognizes them in the pictures. She can put together 8–10 pieces of puzzles. She recognizes the basic shapes and primary colors. She is eager to read the books; she flips pages by herself, points to the right pictures and enjoys listening to the short stories.

She seeks attention from her caregivers and can cry or withdraw if they focus on other children. She is physically active but not always participating and needs time to learn new exercises. She can’t jump, and her balance is unsteady. She isn’t afraid of water anymore, can relax and swim with support. She loves to be outside and play on the playground.

This handsome 14 years old boy is a practitioner of the Christian religion, he likes sports activities such as soccer and cooperative games, he is characterized by being responsible in the preparation of school tasks and he likes research. His favorite food is ceviche, fries and chicken, his favorite color is green, his favorite toy is drones, his favorite character is Cristiano Ronaldo. He wants to be adopted and have a loving and caring family.

Rose was removed from an abusive home at 9 years old and could not even speak the language of her birth country at that time. She now speaks in sentences, understands everything that is said to her and has made rapid developmental progress. During the visit with our team member, she was talking about the Mom and Dad that she’s waiting for and having a fun time posing for all the photos (see below). She currently lives with an older foster couple, who she calls grandma and grandpa. They have worked with her to teach her many self-help skills. She’s now in school and doing well working with a resource teacher.

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.

Elizabeth is very smart and has normal intelligence. If she was given a chance to go to school, she would have no problem learning. Her cognitive ability is good enough to learn a lot and to take good care of herself in daily life. She can put on and take off her clothing, go to the bathroom independently, climb stairs, play with toys, ride toy cars, etc. Elizabeth can walk when leaning on the wall or holding the rails. If there is nothing to lean on, she walks on her knees. She knows when to go to toilet in the day time and night time. She is attached to her caretakers. When she is unhappy, praise her or give her some snacks. Elizabeth has a very good appetite and likes to have snacks. She sleeps through the night and takes a nap in the day time.She has many good friends and gets along well with others. Elizabeth is quite extroverted and often says hello to others. She is a good girl with a loving heart. She likes smiling, playing, and focuses on being concerned for others. She also loves to show her best in front of those she is familiar with. Elizabeth is waiting for her family. Are you the one she is waiting for?

We don’t know a lot about sweet Nelly yet, but the agency does have videos of her they can share with inquiring families. Nelly can crawl and can do so well. She loves scooting her way to toys she finds interesting. Nelly can sit up on her own. She enjoys attention and will sometimes interact with other children.

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.

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.

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.