Other Special Needs Boys, 10+

Ezra has had a shunt placed, and is doing better. His adoption may necessitate consultations with medical personnel, to safely transport him home.

Ezra has had a shunt placed, and is doing better.  His adoption may necessitate consultations with medical personnel, to safely transport him home.

From someone who met Ezra in 2013: Ezra is absolutely precious! He is sweet and adorable and oh so lovable! He laughs when his toes are tickled, or when someone around him laughs or talks or sings to him. He often smiles or laughs so hard his chubby cheekers make his eyes close. He ha s learned to blow spit bubbles and coo. It is hard for me to tell if he is able to use his limbs normally, but he is able to move from his back to his side with little or no assistance. He has not yet learned to play with toys, but he has a very strong grip and enjoys holding my finger. I was told he can see, but not very well. I observed his eyes moving rapidly from side to side, and sometimes appearing to be looking in two different directions. In spite of this there were other times in which he appeared to be quite focused and looking right at us. He has absolutely stolen my heart, and I hope that he will find a family that can help him meet his full potential!

Conner is a handsome boy who will be 5 years old in February. He came into care when he was about 1 year old, and was found to have mild hearing loss (30dB) Conner’s file was done when he was 2 years 7 months old. At that time, Conner’s motor skills were on target, and he was imitating words. Conner is active, engaging, and lovable. He enjoys listening to music, and can swing all by himself (at 2 years 7 months old). As often happens, a child with hearing loss can be misdiagnosed as having an intellectual delay. Conner’s medical reflects this misconception. Conner appears to be a typical little guy who happens to have some hearing loss. We do not know if this could be improved with treatment, or hearing aids (if necessary), but he will certainly not receive the help he needs until he comes home! Conner is ready for a family!

He has many health issues due to he was together with his birth parents for many years until their death, and they were vagabonding. Due to that he cannot talk, just making sounds. However, he has a good memory and understands everything very well.

Approximately 3 years ago he broke his leg, and he did not get any medical care, therefore it did not grow together correctly. He could not walk, just crawled. Now he is dragging a leg.

Chase is a handsome Roma boy with dark hair, olive skin and giant brown eyes. He needs a loving family of his own to bring him out of his shell and to finally feel comfortable and safe.

From his medical records: obvious mental delay, poor understanding, almost does not speak, nervous, not even-tempered.

Look at the curls on this doll! Cameron is in urgent need of medical care!!

Bobby’s two brothers are no longer available for adoption, as they have gone into domestic foster care.

New picture from March, 2016 Asher is such a handsome boy! He has such beautiful big eyes.

Some of Joel’s favorite activites include building large castles with Legos, playing basketball and soccer. Joel is EXTREMELY proud of his basketball skills and thinks he is good at dunking the ball! Those who know Joel say he is shy and introverted during initial meetings. After becoming more familiar with someone, he will feel more relaxed and is comfortable carrying on a conversation with them.

Joel has a good relationship with his foster family. He affectionately calls his foster mother ‘auntie’ and foster father ‘uncle’.  Joel enjoys playing games and chatting with his 6 year old foster brother. When his foster family’s 11 year old grand-daughter visits, he enjoys playing board games with her. One of Joel’s fond memories was from when his foster parents took him and his foster brother to “Spider-man: No Way Home.” After the movie he excitedly narrated a large portion of the movie.

Joel has a diagnosis of ADHD and is currently on medication to help with his concentration. Joel is a 3rd grader in elementary school and overall makes good grades. When asked, Joel stated computer class and physical education are his favorite periods. Joel shares that he has 7 close friends at school. During recess, he enjoys playing tag, and a game of cops and robbers. Joel likes being chased because he rarely gets caught!

Jolene enjoys playing with toy cars, riding her bike, playing with bouncy balls, drawing, and listening to stories. Jolene is initially quiet when introduced to new environments. Once she is comfortable, she becomes active and actively engages with familiar adults. Jolene likes to act affectionately towards familiar adults and LOVES to receive hugs from them.

Jolene has a good relationship with her foster parents and 5-year-old foster brother.  She enjoys narrating stories to her foster father and talking with her foster mother about events that took place during her day.

Jolene has a diagnosis of global delay, and vision needs with a microcephaly diagnosis at birth. She has a past history of epilepsy with no current concerns noted. Jolene attends kindergarten and an after school early intervention education program.  Her early education program provides small class size with one-on-one attention and various weekly therapies in OT, PT, speech, and sensory integration. She is progressing with the help of her therapies including in the areas of vocabulary and motor skills. Jolene responds well in therapy and at home to praise and encouragement!

While Joel and Jolene live in separate foster homes, they get to see each other at events and private intimate meetings arranged by the foster agency. When together, they like to play with toy cars and jump rope.

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.

Rocky is a calm, pleasant  boy who lives in a group home in Eastern Europe. He is attached to his caregivers and responds well to them.

Although Rocky was born premature and with low birth weight; cerebral palsy; and speech, motor and cognitive delays, he is making good progress in his physical therapy and other supports. He can walk with minimal support, and his fine motor skills are also improving.

Severely impaired condition, polymalformative syndrome: Dandy-Walker syndrome, epilepsy, congenital hydrocephalus-ventriculoperitoneal shunt installed, dysfunction of the valve with a neuroinfection and a surgical treatment and revision of the valve system in the spring of 2015; anal atresia, sigmostoma and sagittal proctoplasty; mylticystic right kidney, kidney dysplasia, pyelectasis and hypertrophy of the left kidney, severe mental delay.

Connor is being raised in one of the biggest orphanages in Bulgaria where children often suffer from severe malnutrition, muscle hypotrophy and have severe delays in the neuropsychological development. He has a polymalformative syndrome, but one could see a dramatic change in his appearance in just two pictures- the first one taken in the end of November 2014 and the second one in June 2015.

He grabs a toy that is handed to him, holds it for a while and manipulates with it. He has started to more and more often reach with his hands and manipulate with hanging toys independently.

While involved in active interactions with adults, he would make his emotional responses known with his nonverbal behavior. He seeks contact with familiar adults by reaching out his hand, grabbing an adult’s hand and he would even sometimes direct an adult’s hand towards his face so as to be caressed.

He falls asleep easily and his sleep is calm. He is fed with a bottle. He gets anxious while his clothes are changed and while bathed.

Jonas is on several medications.  Jonas’s motor activity completely corresponds to the expected developmental level for his calendar age.  Although his fine motor skills need to improve further, Jonas is able to hold a pencil properly. He can inlay elements with some guidance. He puts cubes one on top of the other. He threads colored rings on a fixed stand, but not yet in accordance with their size.

There are some difficulties in attracting and keeping his attention focused. Jonas plays for a longer period of time whenever he is interested in the respective activity. Jonas orientates well in a familiar environment. He distinguishes between day and night based on his everyday routines – sleeping, meal times, rest. He recognizes the neighborhood around the foster family’s home.

Jonas is reported to have achieved noticeable progress in terms of expressing his emotions and feelings, which are becoming more diverse. He reacts appropriately to smiles and angry faces and also to the tone of voice one talks to him with. He demonstrates his love, attachment and attention for others. He greatly enjoys it when others play with him. Jonas has attached to all members of the foster family.

Clifton lives with a foster family.  He loves to listen to music and dance and is always looking for a dancing partner! His foster family is working on him walking longer distances independently.  He is learning how to play with toys and interact appropriately with other children.  He has few words and does not follow verbal directions.  Clifton is receiving therapy multiple times a week.

Clifton’s gross motor skills are well-developed – he moves around independently, even at long distances, and he has no difficulties walking on different surfaces. He can now run (since the beginning of January 2017). The deficits noted previously in Clifton’s fine motor skills have been compensated to a great extent. He can transfer small elements with a spoon from one bowl into another with an adult’s assistance, he plays with certain materials and toys, he clips and unclips clothes pegs, he looks for an object hidden in the sand and he takes it out with great interest. He holds a pencil and leaves pale traces with it on a sheet of paper. He does great eating with a spoon. Clifton accepts the toothbrush and allows for his teeth to be brushed.

It happens more and more rarely for Clifton to demonstrate anxiety in response to being introduced to unfamiliar places and people. The stereotypic movements he demonstrates when someone initiates interactions with him have decreased significantly. He imitates actions he has observed more often and more successfully than before. Clifton becomes lively and starts dancing whenever someone is singing or plays music.

Clifton is  calm in his new foster family, he often smiles and he laughs aloud while playing with an adult (or with the girls in the foster family). He is especially attached to the foster father and the younger daughter in the family. Clifton has become a lot more sociable in the last 6 months: he seeks children’s attention, initiates interactions, accepts unfamiliar people a lot easier, maintains a smaller distance between himself and others and makes eye contact.

Although Clifton has poor passive vocabulary, he follows simple instructions provided that those are accompanied by nonverbal means of communication. His speech development is at the level of producing chains of syllables. He uses “No” appropriately so as to express his disagreement, he sometimes uses “Yes” and “Give me”. Clifton initiates physical and emotional contact with his foster parents and their children as well as with the specialists working with him. He is especially attached to the foster father and the youngest daughter in the foster family. His interactions with other children have changed significantly – he plays with them for a long time and he is making attempts to cooperate with them.

More photos/file are available from his agency

Norton is a boy who lives with a foster family in Eastern Europe. He loves to play with other children and particularly likes to play with musical toys and cars. He also likes to paint using watercolor paints. He manages to play games for a long time, and he likes to help around the household.

Norton is in good health and is stronger than typical of his age. He can independently move larger items, including furniture. He loves to run and jump, and he knows how to roll over forward and squeeze in narrower spaces. Like many little boys, Norton brushes his teeth twice a day. He can tell others when he needs to go to the restroom, and he eats with great appetite. He naps for two hours in the afternoon and sleeps peacefully at night.

His short-term and long-term memories function at a good level, and Noah can easily remember things related to the lifestyle, as well as past events related to pleasant or unpleasant memories.

Although he has been diagnosed with hyperactive disorder, mild mental disability and a speech delay, Norton has shown progress in his development. He understands everything that is required of him, executing commands correctly. He is persistent in his demands, but he understands when he has violated rules, and he does not oppose correction.

Norton chatters a lot, but he is incomprehensible. He repeats syllables he hears, and he uses gestures to help him communicate with others and make them clearly understand what he wants or wants to do. Norton is working with therapists to improve his speech abilities.

Paddy can turn over on his own, and sits independently. He will walk holding hands or using a walker, but does not like to walk over uneven surfaces. He likes musical toys and has recently started imitating simple actions like a ring stacker. Paddy likes to interact with familiar adults and may pout when they leave. He eats mashed food and drinks from a cup.

Update from a family that met him in 2015: Paddy is a truly beautiful boy! He does have some behaviors, shrieking and flapping for the majority of the time we observed him. He did not make eye contact with us or the staff. We asked the staff about his medical information and they stated that he did not need regular transfusions, but did have a seizure disorder. A family that is prepared to deal with autistic like behaviors would be ideal!

As of June 2013: Bentley is mostly passive, his muscles are weak. He can not sit, stand or walk on his own. He does not like to have a close contact with a person, cries when is picked up. Bentley likes to sit in a special chair and rock. Sometimes the boy pronounces accidental sounds. Does not picks up yet toys in to his hands, when is talked to – does not react. Sometimes when he sits alone it was observed that he started to smile. He needs help while eating and drinking. Child’s motor development is delayed, compared to his age.

Pattie has FAS, hypothyroidism and mental delay.

She completed 3rd 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.

Maximilian is an adorable little guy who recently turned 3 years old. He came into care as a newborn, and was diagnosed with CP. Max has good fine motor skills, excellent speech (although they say he has a short tongue tie), and is able to walk…but not for long distances. Max’s head tilts to the right; this could be a result of the CP. Maximilian is a delightful little boy, whose cognitive skills are on target. His receptive speech is great, and he follows instructions well. He can easily express his needs. The nannies describe him as “strong and brave”. They also said when he sees the other kids walking and doing things he would like to do he wants to be like them. Max works very hard when exercising…he wants to be strong and able to run and play with his friends. Max need a family, good therapy, and treatment to straighten his neck. Max needs you!

Brighton is an adorable. His file is from 2013. According to his medical and development reports, Brighton is a healthy, very happy little guy. His profile sheet says he has CP. Brighton was sitting up, rolling over, and using his hands at the appropriate age. At the time of his report, he was social, active, and beginning to vocalize. Brighton needs a few toys, lots of books, a loving family…and maybe a puppy.

Riley is an active, and incredibly adorable, little boy who is 3 years old! He came into care when he was about 8 months old. He was already crawling, and standing with support. Riley received surgery for a tethered cord in May of 2013. After his successful surgery,when they removed his catheter, they found there was an apparent urethral injury. They performed a cystostomy (a surgically created connection between the urinary bladder and the skin which is used to drain urine from the bladder in individuals with obstruction of normal urinary flow). Riley recovered well, and was returned to his foster family. He is a smart little guy who is very social. His fine motor skills and speech are on target. Riley is attached to his foster dad, and loves to play with the other children in the foster home. Riley needs a family of his own!

OCTOBER 2017 UPDATE: Percy is a very bright and cheerful boy. He has an adventurous personality, is eager to try new things, and has an open disposition that is friendly, but not inappropriately so. He is not afraid of foreigners from overseas and was immediately interested in learning English with American volunteers in school and was one of the first to master the alphabet song. He has a good ear for language and has soaked up everything he can learn in English and he retains it (colors, shapes, animals, clothing, parts of the body, etc.). He has a great sense of humor, loves to laugh, and gives a loud “Good Morning!” and hard high five whenever he sees his English teachers. He has learned to read some characters in his native language, knows his numbers, has started basic math and knows many songs and dances from school. Percy lives with an attentive foster family who would love to see him adopted as they know that he needs medical treatment from pediatric specialists. He interacts appropriately with peers, is silly and fun with his little friends, but not unkind.

An echo-cardiogram and electrocardiogram performed showed ebstein anomaly (Horner Syndrome), moderated apical interventricular communication. He doesn’t require surgical treatment based on electrocardiogram results; he requires biannual follow up with both echo-cardiogram and electrocardiogram. It is possible that as an adult he will probably require tricuspid valve replacement.  Pablo doesn’t show signs of recent or past of physical abuse.

These brothers are physically healthy, but needing support for behavioral issues as well as ADHD, childhood depression, and attachment for which they need special care, tolerance, education and continuous treatment to cope with a good quality of life.

This boy wants to be adopted very much, he writes letters for his future family and asks them to come and visit him soon. He is very sensitive and caring child who longs for love and tenderness but sometimes he gets angry and disrespectful… His grades in school are very good but he doesn’t remember about his homework sometimes. He needs a lot of support and supervision from his teacher along with love and support from his future family.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Lennox is described as smart, clever, quiet, and pleasant. In March of 2014 he had surgery for one of his special needs. Lennox is a handsome and active boy who has a ready smile. The caretakers and other kids all like him very much! His agency has asked for an update and hope to have one soon!

Stan takes medication to manage his thyroid. He’s also on medication for behaviors, and his foster family reports that the medication helps him to sleep better at night, which has improved his overall behavior. He can memorize, retain, and reproduces information. Motor skills are well developed. Self-help skills are well developed. He follows the rules and behaves well in public. The medication he is taking has decreased his mood swings. He talks in complete sentences and is able to ask/answer questions, tell a story, etc. He occasionally mixes up verb tenses and other grammatical errors, but is able to be understood. He is working with a speech therapist at school. He responds well to verbal praise and verbal prompts when he needs correction. He enjoys music and loves animals. He eagerly engages in activities with other children. He likes to put puzzles together, watch TV and play on the computer. He is behind academically at school due to difficulty with attention span.

*Abner’s social worker reported that according to the specialists, supervising Abner’s condition and development, the diagnosis of atypical autism is no longer valid and it will be deleted from Abner’s formal paperwork that is to be updated in the following months

Abner likes to keep himself busy exploring! His favorite activities are the ones that include movement, such as going for a walk. He very much likes to spend time looking through books. He also likes all musical instruments and toys that play melodies and sounds. His favorite toy is a children’s laptop that plays songs. When he hears a melody he tries to dance.

There has been a progress in Abner’s speech development as he has started using a lot of words. He now forms sentences containing 3-4 words, albeit dyslexia is observed.

George can fulfill simple instructions, does not walk very well.

Martha does not react to her name, does not know colors, does not play with toys.  Can feed herself, but is not adequate. She would eat banana with skin and candy with cover. She is not potty trained. Her speech is almost not developed.

There is a history of prior neglect; George has better development because he lived in the family less time than Martha, before they were removed.

He has a brother in a different orphanage born in 2007. They must be adopted together!

updated pics/video Aug 2016

Adorable Bobby is diagnosed with Progressive Muscular Dystrophy. From his file in June of 2014, his caretakers say they have not yet seen a negative impact on his physical development. He is already on a steroid regime and can walk, run, jump and climb up and down the stairs. His caretakers say he is an active and cute boy who observes his surroundings with bright eyes. Bobby loves to play with blocks and cars. He also likes to listen to music. He will clap his hands and shake his body and dance to lively music. Bobby likes to play outside and laughs every day as he plays with the other children. He has good self care skills. Bobby can feed himself, dress and undress and sometimes he helps the other kids collect the toys in the toy basket. His caretakers and teachers are very fond of him. This adorable little boy is waiting for a family to call his own who can help him access the most up to date medical care.

Barrett is described as a cute kid with a ready smile. He is said to be able to express himself and speak clearly. Because of his CP he needs help with many of his daily needs. He is not able to walk so must use a wheelchair.

His best friend was recently adopted and he hopes he can also be adopted soon and get the help he needs to live as full a life as possible. Could you be his parents and welcome him into your family?

Bradlee is a sensible and well-liked boy, born in August of 2008, who gets along well with the other children in his school and orphanage. He’s not always serious though, as he’s up for a good laugh anytime! Bradlee started attending school at the orphanage in September of 2015. He’s been taking language arts, math, art, music and PE. Bradlee’s teachers say he’s a good student and participates in class. At the end of the first semester of school, he received the “Star of Good Behavior” award! Bradlee is independent with dressing, bathing, and making his bed.

An adoptive mama and advocate has met this child, who she called Brett, and wrote this post about him: https://adoptingthalassemia.com/2018/04/19/smiley-brett/

When admitted to the orphanage Bradlee was initially diagnosed with a heart defect, but later ultrasounds showed it resolved on its own. Bradlee was born with beta thalassemia major and currently receives blood transfusions every two months, as well as chelation medication to treat iron overload.

It is clear Bradlee isn’t getting the care he needs or would get here due to the frontal bossing you can clearly see in the forehead area. If untreated or treated improperly, beta thalassemia major can cause the bone marrow to expand. Bone marrow is where most of the blood cells are produced in the body. The bone marrow expands because it is trying to compensate for chronic anemia. This abnormal expansion causes bones to become thinner, wider, and brittle. Affected bones may grow abnormally (bone deformities), particularly the long bones of the arms and legs and certain bones of the face. When facial bones are affected it can result in distinctive facial features including an abnormally prominent forehead (frontal bossing), full cheek bones (prominent malar eminence), a depressed bridge of the nose, and overgrowth (hypertrophy) of the upper jaw (maxillae), exposing the upper teeth. The affected bones have an increased fracture risk, particularly the long bones of the arms and legs. Some individuals may develop ‘knock knees’ (genu valgum), a condition in which the legs bend inward so that when a person is standing the knees will touch even if the ankles and feet are not.

Bradlee desperately needs to find a loving family soon- access to good medical care will be life-saving and life-changing for him!

There is a $2,000 agency grant for Bradlee’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.