Other Special Needs Boys, 6-9

SN: VSD,ASD, epilepsy, optic nerve hypoplasia, hyperopic astigmatism in both eyes.

G is an eight year old boy with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which has left him with some dysmorphic facial features and difficulties with problem solving. In difficult situations he resorts to verbal and physical aggression. He enjoys helping out with household activities, specifically in the kitchen. He is visually impaired and has mild intellectual disability. He has been receiving preschool education since last September. He works with a psychologist, speech therapist, and physiotherapist on a daily basis.

G enjoys participating in group activities, but he works better when one-on-one with a therapist. He is capable of focusing for long periods of time on a single activity. When something doesn’t go his way, he can get upset, but with the right motivation he can easily return to his activity. G can’t read, but he can distinguish single letters of the alphabet, and can even copy letters. He can count to twenty. In the future, more focus will be put toward improving his knowledge of the alphabet and helping him manage his emotions.

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.

He is happy and  cheerful boy with a great need for individual forms of contact and no behavioral disturbance. He walks correctly, runs, overcomes obstacles, and willingly participates in  the physical games. He has the features of motor hyperactivity, but the boy is able to adjust the activity to the form of tasks. Recognizes pictures, selects them in pairs and combines them correctly. Easily places shapes in the holes of the puzzle. Builds simple and complex structures. Mild speech delay – he can name objects, activities, features. Expresses single sentences, also complex ones, but uses these sentences less well.

From an agency representative who met him June 2021: He is pure joy and his little giggle is contagious.  He is so sweet, always look happy and friendly.  D is getting wonderful care while he waits for a family!

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

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.

Brian recognizes familiar adults and has formed an attachment to his favorite caregiver. He is uncomfortable around strangers. He is working with a physical therapist and a teacher on fine and gross motor skills. He can pick up toys and transfer them from hand to hand. His teacher reports that he understands what is being said to him and has recently begun responding to simple directions such as “give me”. He is able to sit unassisted and moves around in a baby walker.

Photos and videos 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.

Bodie responds to his name with a smile, to sounds and noise. He keeps an eye on the movement of people and objects in the room. He is described as a calm and pleasant child. He is well attached to his caregivers and responds well to them. When given attention, he reacts positively and with a smile. Most of the time, the child is energetic and physically active. It is difficult for him to stay in one place, constantly moving and exploring.

The child expresses his joy by erratically clapping his hands and by making noises. When held by the hand he makes several steps.  (was previously also listed as Barron).

Ryan is a cute 6-year-old boy, very nice and calm. He can’t see well which makes him very attentive to noise and he has developed a great ability to identify all the sounds he hears.

He likes music, likes to hear the sound of other children playing near him and it makes him smile. He likes to be cradled, and to have his head stroked. He doesn’t like to cry very much, he only cries when he is sick, or when he needs a little attention.

In therapy, he works on range of motion and stretching to prevent further contractures of his limbs, to turn his head to the right, since he tends to lean his head to the left, and to improve functional use of his arms and hands. At school, he uses sensory material and adapted activities to help him develop his academic abilities.

Woodrow can sit up independently and will sometimes kneel as well. He occasionally bears weight on his feet, but cannot put his feet completely flat and because his ankles are so tight. He would need surgery before being able to do so. Woodrow doesn’t really scoot or crawl, but he can still make his way across a room by rolling and wiggling.

Woodrow loves to eat and gets quite upset if meal time is late. He doesn’t self feed, but eats pureed food by mouth. It can be a messy affair, but he is quite satisfied when he is done. Woodrow drinks some with a sippy cup or water bottle, but also likes to drink from a regular cup if he is feeling particularly thirsty.

Woodrow is not a fan of bath time and tends to move around a lot as he tries to keep his caregiver from bathing him, particularly his face and head. He is very picky about people touching his head – sometimes he likes a good head massage and other times he will duck away from anyone who tries to touch his head at all. He also does not like anyone touching his face, especially to try and wipe it off after a meal or to brush his teeth. The one exception he sometimes makes is for his caregiver to kiss his cheeks and neck, which he occasionally greets with a big smile.

In the past, Woodrow would often cry and thrash inconsolably for long periods at a time no matter what his caregivers tried. Some changes with medications have helped him drastically. He still does not sleep on a regular schedule, but if he’s awake during the night, he is generally calm, sometimes quiet and sometimes “talking” with his little noises.

Woodrow really likes his feet and will often clap them together. He also uses his feet to protect his head which he hits repeatedly for sensory input. Woodrow does not do a lot of purposeful movement with his hands, but often wrings them.

Woodrow goes to physical therapy and attends a special education class every day. He likes to be pushed around in his wheelchair and enjoys going in the swing.

Woodrow is a ticklish guy and will often reward tickles with a smile. While he is not generally a cuddler, he sometimes enjoys being held and cuddled and will lean in to relax.

Progress with Woodrow has been slow, but he is learning and responding. We continue to pray that he would know that he is safe, loved and treasured. We also pray that a brave and bold family would step forward to pursue his adoption. He is worth it.

SEPTEMBER 2023 UPDATE:

Nolan can walk by himself. He enjoys walking around the center, engaging everyone, or just checking out what is happening around him. He enjoys morning and afternoon walks with his caregivers. He loves to look at himself in front of the mirror. He dances when he wants what he is watching while on the sofa. His caregivers assist and let him practice going up and down the stairs. There are times he prefers to be carried and hugged. He enjoys closeness and physical touch. He is sociable and plays on the trampoline with other children.  Nolan pays attention to social stimulation and imitates some actions. He is currently attending occupational and speech therapies, which has greatly helped him improve his skills. He can now hold toys and put blocks on top of one another.  Nolan likes everyone in the center and loves it when visitors come around. He does not display stranger anxiety. He still does not use words, but shows his excitement by laughing and shouting “ha ha ha” in a loud exaggerated voice similar to how Santa would say “Ho ho ho.”   Nolan eats solid foods such as rice, meat, and vegetables that are cut into small pieces. He likes biscuits, yakult, plain bread, and yogurt as snacks. Nolan is becoming better at expressing what he wants. He points out stuff and says, “ah ah ah” when he wants to hold something. He is cooperative with his houseparents and caregivers during his morning and evening care routine when taking a bath and getting dressed. Nolan is loved by everyone at the child caring agency, but they are praying that he will be placed in a permanent family. He has a lot of unique needs that will require special attention, financial resources, good medical specialists, and commitment of parents. He might have delays in development, but having the presence of a loving family will be of great benefit to him in reaching his full potential. He shows signs of being able to learn and improve with dedicated staff taking one-on-one time with him each day. Nolan’s agency believes that he will bring so much joy to a family and he will teach them how to love deeply.

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Nolan was found to have multiple congenital anomalies. Kleefstra Syndrome is to be considered. He was diagnosed as having global developmental delays and has mild hearing loss of the left ear and moderate hearing loss of the right ear. Nolan is being fed through a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube. However, his caregiver sometimes tries to feed him orally with infant cereal or yogurt, which he enjoys. Nolan is undergoing physical therapy and can pull himself up by holding the rails of his crib. He can sit by himself in his crib for a maximum of 30 minutes. He can stand with support and can move his legs freely. Nolan can walk approximately 100 steps with assistance. He can stretch his arms and hands to reach toys or any object near his crib. He loves playing with toys, such as rattles, that produce sound. Nolan responds when his name is called, and he can convey his needs through different tones when he cries or babbles. Nolan smiles, laughs, and babbles when talked to. He loves to be cuddled and played with! Despite his medical needs, Nolan is not demanding and is easy to care for.

A traveling family that met Nolan said, “We’ve met this child and he is the BEST cuddler! He hardly ever cries and loves to walk while holding your hands. He laughs hard when you talk loudly into his ear, and he loves cartoons that sing! We were with him for a whole summer and would be happy to share more info and pictures!”

We hope just the right family comes forward for Nolan!

September 2023 UPDATE: Simon has updated pictures (at the agency). He has grown up a lot and is using a wheelchair. His write-up states: Simon was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, spastic quadriplegic, and global developmental delay. Despite his condition, he is an active child and has progressed in his mobility through the help of his therapy sessions to her improve his mobility and muscle strength. Simon is enrolled in physical, occupational, and speech therapy sessions. He picks up toy shapes and transfers them from one container to the other in a slow way due to his spasticity. He responds through facial expressions and communicates by pointing to what he wants on his communication board. He understands and follows simple instructions such as take your face towel and wipe your mouth, “up here”, or “high five.” Simon has a good appetite every mealtime but sometimes needs more time as he stocks the food in his mouth before chewing and swallowing if he does not like the food. Due to Simon’s special needs, his child caring agency believes that the prospective adoptive parents will need to show him full support and close supervision since he requires extra care, understanding, and love. He will need to continue therapies and will require special education. He likes to be around many children and would be open to larger families. Simon is unlikely to live independently; However, with the love and care of a family, he would thrive and could live a full life with his family’s support. His agency believes he will make a wonderful addition to a family and will be a much-loved son!
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Simon is a very sweet little boy who currently lives with several older girls and is the last remaining “baby” in his home. He cannot speak, but does communicate through facial expressions and some noises.

A traveling family met Simon and said, “Within the three days we spent at the orphanage, we were able to bond with him to the point he would smile and get excited when he saw us. The older girls told us he can understand what they say to him. He enjoys being held and carried around, but spends most of his day sitting in a baby walker or high chair. He seems very easy going, as we didn’t see him complain about being put in his crib for nap time, etc. The caregivers are working on his motor skills. He can eat with assistance and enjoyed the ice cream we brought! It’s so easy to fall in love with this little boy! We are praying his family sees him soon!”

Simon has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and has had seizures. He takes 30 mg of Phenobarbital once a day. Simon has mild hearing loss of the left ear. Therapy has helped lessen the spasm and Simon can open and close his hands. Simon loves being around people and making faces! When praying before meals, he bows down his head and says “ahh” when everyone says “Amen.” We’re hoping a wonderful loving family comes forward for this special little boy! There is a $500 agency grant for Simon’s adoption with his adoption agency.

Walt  has been diagnosed with autism and developmental delays. He is nonverbal, does not engage with peers, and prefers to play with rotating, round objects. Walt does not show aggression and expresses warmth toward others on his own initiative. He likes to receive hugs from his foster parent.

Jorrell favorites include playing with building blocks, toy cars, and reading storybooks – especially fairy tales and detective stories! Jorrell is inquisitive and loves to explorer.

Jorrell lives in a children’s home with 9 other children of similar age. He attends elementary school and is an eager learner. Jorrell is a helper by nature, and is one of the first to volunteer to assist his teacher and always wants to take care of younger children that he lives with.

Jorrell has a diagnosis of suspected absence seizures and suspected Tourette Syndrome, with developmental delays.

Ethan is well developed for his age. He is a warm and curious little boy. His best toy is a ball. He laughs and shouts every time he got his ball. Ethan is a cheerful and peaceful child. He likes the other children. Observes and manipulates with toys. He knows how to charm his caregivers and receives lots of attention.

With a familiar adult, Ethan has a good emotional tone – he enjoys a hide and seek game and sometimes gives his hand for “hello”.

He cannot walk yet, but he sits, crawls and staying straight caught for fixed support, showing progress in his motor skill development. The child has flat feet with valgus deviation of both feet – it was recommended to wear orthopedic shoes. Ethan stands up on his own until he is caught on a fixed support, stands on tiptoe, does not step aside, placed in a walker, moves short distances; pronounces long sound combinations.

Josiah moves in space by turning from back to belly and vice versa. He has started forming some of the perceptions about objects from his constant surroundings and everyday life. He connects some objects from his surroundings with the actions performed with them.

When awake, Josiah is mostly calm. He would laugh out loud when jested. During active interactions with adults Josiah pronounces various sounds and random syllables. Josiah follows a specific dietary regime and has food individually prepared for him. He is fed with a spoon by an adult and has a picky appetite. He is calm during dressing and bathing. Josiah’s sleep is calm.

Julian enjoys playing with toys. He is well attached to his caregivers and responds to them when they talk to him. When he is happy, he responds by making noises and clapping his hands. His report indicates that when held by the hands, he will take steps.

Update Jan 2020:

Julian sits on his own while supporting his weight on his hands. He uses his hands to change his posture and move his body. He stands in the walker. He actively grabs and manipulates toys and objects, tries to use them as intended – shakes to produce sound, pulls the string of a musical toy. Visual-motor coordination is slightly impaired.

Elon walks independently. He feeds himself and cleans up after his meals. He does not talk at this time, but understands what is said to him and follows simple instructions. He responds to his name. He interacts appropriately with adults and with other children. He attends to tasks and works well 1:1 and in a small group.

Anders currently lives in a small Eastern European country. He is happiest listening to soft music or playing with toys that make sound! Anders is described as a happy, calm child. Tests show that Anders has learning and motor delays, as well as occasional seizures.

Ashford enjoys the presence of adults and emotionally expresses himself with laughter, crying and sounds. He laughs when tickled and smiles when he sees familiar faces. Ashford is unable to sit, stand, nor does he have head control. He prefers to be on his stomach. He does not have coordinated movement of his arms or legs and has little ability to hold a toy. Ashford’s diagnosis is Microcephaly. He was born prematurely and received intervention at the hospital at birth. Some history of convulsions, controlled with medication. Suspicion of left nasal atresia.

Bennett is a very social child. Whenever he sees his friends, he eagerly greets them with a smile, a hug, and a “Happy Birthday!” He had hydrocephalus as an infant that was treated with a VP shunt. The shunt was later removed but he still has macrocephaly. He does have a history of seizures which are very well controlled by medication. He receives physical therapy twice a week and has made tremendous progress over the past several years.

He is fully mobile, can feed himself, and go to the bathroom independently. Bennett wears a helmet to protect his head. He has become fond of his helmet though because he can show off his headstand. You will often find him enjoying jumping on the trampoline, playing on the playground or going on a walk. He needs redirection often because he is always on the move. Although he is generally happy, he can get frustrated when people do not do what he wants to do or if he is being asked to do something he is not ready for.

Bennett’s favorite part of school is circle time because he likes to sing songs and answer ALL the questions even if his answer has nothing to do with what was asked. He understands and speaks English as well as his native language. He is known for reciting the four seasons in English quite well. At home, he loves to ask other people to dance and sing with him too. Bennett loves to make people smile!

David was declared clinically dead at birth and resuscitated. He currently lives in a group home. He reaches for hanging objects and can hold a toy for brief periods of time. He is very responsive to caregivers. He smiles and shows pleasure when spoken to. He tracts objects and tries to focus on people who are talking to him and objects being presented to him. He rolls from his back to stomach in his bed.

Anthony is an adorable, sweet 1 year old! Anthony has a lack of development physically and neurologically. In late 2015, a ventriculoperiteneal shunt was placed and he has been free of seizures since then. He cannot sit upright by himself and does not talk, but responds to sound. Anthony is tube fed due to lack of suck reflex. He does not react well to teasing or tactile stimulation by smiling but by irritation and crying.

Brett lived with a foster family from birth to age 4. He did not attend preschool or receive any interventions during that time. The family was not experienced in how to work with him. He was placed in a small group home at 4 years old. He has thrived in this setting. He has learned many new skills and continues to make improvements in all aspects of his development. He communicates using words and simple sentences. He understands everything said to him and can answer basic questions. He takes care of all his personal hygiene independently (brushes his own teeth, hair, dresses/undresses himself, is toilet trained, etc). He can count to 10, recognize colors and shapes, work puzzles, say his name and age, and also say the names of the other children living in the home. The staff at the group home believe that his mental delays are mild and state that this is because he made such rapid progress once he was placed in the group home and began receiving instruction. The foster family had reported behavior issues, mainly an inability to concentrate. The staff reports no behavior problems and stated that he just needed attention and appropriate instruction. They describe him as very affectionate.

AJ is a calm, loving, shy boy who came into the care when he was about a year old; he was found abandoned. He has favorably adapted to the institution where he is being cared for and he has made significant progress in his motor process.  The boy moves his upper and lower extremities, he can take his feet to his mouth, he crawls, and tries to stay standing with support. The report also states that AJ is a boy who explores the environment, he maintains attention and interacts with people, appropriately responding to the sensory stimuli that are presented to him. AJ likes children’s songs and dances imitating his peers, he likes colorful musical instrument toys.

Photo available from agency!

When the medical report was first performed when he was about one year old, AJ was not walking and a level of delay is reported in the cognitive, language and motor areas that are related to the state of severe malnutrition with which he was found as an infant.

His Grade I Osteogenesis Imperfecta is the mildest form of the condition. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by bones that break easily. OI is highly variable. Its signs and symptoms range from mild to severe. In addition to fractures (broken bones), people with OI sometimes have muscle weakness, loose joints (joint laxity), curvature of the spine (scoliosis), brittle teeth (dentinogenesis imperfecta), and hearing loss. A classification system dividing OI into several types is commonly used to help describe how severely a person is affected. Type I is the mildest and most common form of OI.

Drako has undergone surgeries to repair a cleft lip and palate. He is under continues care by medical professionals and will need future orthodontic surgery and other possible surgeries as well related to his cleft issues. Developmentally, his speech, motor skills, and cognitive processing are all delayed. He can crawl, pull to a stand, cruise around furniture/objects, and walk while holding an adult’s hand. He will interact with toys that play music or light up. He babbles, but is not yet saying any words.

Photos and videos are available.

Ozzie has decreased muscle tone. He can’t walk, but has recently started standing up in his crib with support. He smiles and has positive emotions when interacting with adults and when he is with the other children. He pronounces combinations of sounds. He laughs when playing peek-a-boo.

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

Robby is delayed in all aspects of his development, but has begun to make small gains in learning . He will interact with caregivers and other children if an activity is interesting to him. His attention span when working on tasks has begun to increase. He enjoys playing in the sensory room. He learns best with multiple repetitions of a task.

His current agency has videos and pictures that can be shared with interested families

Scotty has little support from his legs. His head control has improved and he can turn from his back to his belly. He sits independently by holding on to the bars of his crib and also makes attempts to stand up. Scotty can hold toys in his hands and tries to clap! He maintains eye contact and recognizes the faces of his caregivers. Scotty expresses appropriate emotions to happiness and agitation and will laugh out loud when teases. He imitates and pronounces combinations of sounds and syllables. Scotty interacts with all children and caregivers. He likes music and toys. Scotty is fed by a spoon and receives additional nutrition from a bottle.

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.

Despite his diagnosis of infantile cerebral palsy Teddy walks independently. He climbs on and gets off the bed independently. Teddy examines objects with hands, eyes and mouth. He is able to transfer objects from one hand to another. He is able to hold two toys in his hands and knock them in one another.

When the foster mother leaves the room Teddy would start crying and looking for her.

He likes playing with musical toys and shows excitement when they make sounds. He also looks at and likes some of the TV commercials.

The foster mother feeds Teddy with a spoon and some improvement has been reported, as he is now eating solid food. Teddy loves bananas, biscuits with milk, homemade soups and sops.

Graden was born prematurely and experienced many complications after birth. He spent the first 5 months of his life in the hospital and has lived in one of the biggest orphanages in his birth country since leaving the hospital. He is often sick with respiratory infections and has an inhaler for asthma. He’s  been diagnosed with CHIARI malformation, but no treatment or surgery has been planned.

He can stand with support and will side step when holding on to something. He picks up toys, moves them from hand to hand and attempts to manipulate them. He interacts with staff members and other children. He reacts positively when he is given attention from adults and willingly interacts during therapy sessions and time with his teacher at the orphanage.

Update on Graden August 2022: He’s WALKING!!! Graden continues to make huge gains in his development since being transferred to a group home. Physically, he’s now independently walking, feeding himself with a spoon and in the process of being toilet trained.

Developmentally, he demonstrates interest in the events happening around him, he understands verbal instructions, his vocabulary improves with every week that passes – he understands most of what is said to him. He is able to follow simple, 2-3 step gesture instructions. He persistently goes and takes toys and plays with them. He is emotional and sociable. He likes when a familiar adult speaks to him and independently seeks interactions. He reacts with a smile to tactile and verbal stimuli. He demonstrates interest in musical toys and toys that make sounds. Most of the time he is calm and happy. He seeks contacts with other children from the group. He reacts emotionally when told “no”. He is interested in different activities. He answers when called by his name and recognizes his reflection in a mirror.

 

Hennes has Arnold-Chiari type II with spina bifida at level L5.

Hennes is described as a very social and happy child. He communicates well with others. He can ask and answer questions and make general conversation. When he has difficulty with a task, he says, “It doesn’t work” in order to get help. A member of the agency’s team visited Hennes and said that he is “very easy to talk to and very smart”. Videos from July 2022 show him talking, answering questions and interacting with the adults. Hennes moves from place to place by crawling and using his upper body strength. He can pull to a stand and hold onto a support. He likes to play with all kind of toys, like balls, cubes, cars, puzzles and etc. He eats independently. He told the team member that he loves apples and orange juice.

Silvio is a Roma boy who was born extremely premature (22 weeks), with a very low birth weight. He spends 6 months at the hospital and fought for his life! He had a tracheotomy procedure and eye Lasik surgery in October 2017.

Last update 2020: Delayed psychomotor development. Visible improvement after rehabilitation. Feeding the by the bottle, playing with toys, rolls out of the back on the stomach and vice versa. He tries to crawl. A very active child who initiates contact. He makes eye contact, focuses his attention on the human face, and smiles back. Video is available from the adoption agency.

Mitchell walks independently with an ataxic gait. He talk using simple words and simple sentences. He plays with toys. He shows interest in his environment and everything happening around him. He seeks contact with familiar adults.

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

Brody walks independently. He is able to navigate stairs and playground equipment at the park. Most of Brody’s delays seem to be related to being unable to hear and communicate his wants/needs. For example, the foster family reports that he is not aggressive, but he does demonstrate frustration at being unable to communicate with them to express his thoughts and what he wants. He uses some gestures to communicate, such as opening the refrigerator to express that he is hungry. He is supposed to be under the care of a specialist to work with him now that he has the cochlear implant (and to continue to develop his communication skills), but this has not been consistent due to COVID restrictions and the fact that the family must travel to another town for Brody to see the specialist. The foster family does report that Brody seems to be able to hear now that he has the implant and they have seen improvements with the implant in place. Brody does attend a day program for children with disabilities and has recently become more interested in the other children.

Myles was just starting to wake up at the beginning of our Zoom call and as his caregivers slowly nudged and tickled him, he showed us the biggest smile and sweetest little giggle. Four-year-old Myles is not speaking, but we learned from his caregivers that he is a quite boy who prefers not to be disturbed. His favorite toy is his teether, he likes being tickled, and dislikes being moved around.

Myles diet consists of mashed foods, his favorite being fruits.  Myles spends most of his time in his bed or in a support chair. Because he is only allotted one therapeutic device per year, he doesn’t currently have a child walker. With more opportunities to put weight on his legs, he may possibly have the potential for assisted walking in the future.

Myles was born prematurely and has been diagnosed with global developmental delays, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, hydrocephalus and hearing impairment. Myles resides in a nursing home and receives 30 minutes of occupational and physical therapy at a local hospital each week. The agency has much more information on Myles! Could your family be the one he needs?

Dorie

The girl has a poor vocabulary, and therefore difficulties with understanding. She is active in words, conducts a dialogue, makes a simple description, but her statements are simplified and not always logical. Speech defect (interdental). She is an active child, shows great curiosity and wants to attract attention. She is willing to play and imitate but is less fond of organized games and has difficulty concentrating, as well as controlling and planning his activities.  She shows a bond with her siblings, especially her brother Nathan.

Nathan

Strong motor skills – correct for age. Walks, runs, overcomes obstacles. He participates in games, wants to attract attention and is upper active.

Perception and hand-eye coordination – within the normal range for age. The boy notices details, differentiates shapes and colors. Recognizes pictures, selects pairs. He connects the pictures. He places the blocks in the holes of the puzzle. Builds block structures – simple and complex at the age level. Slight speech delay. Social behavior and emotional zone – age appropriate. There is a great need for a relationship, attention and contact. Sometimes he is too impulsive and reacts hypersensitive.

Iggie

Low birth weight,  FAS

Strong motor skills – the boy walks independently, runs, overcomes obstacles with a slightly lower fluency. He imitates simple, single body movements, claps his hands, raises his hands up, stomps his feet, enjoys simple games with adults, keeps up with the group. He puts circles on the pyramid, builds a tower from blocks, creates a row (“trains”). He scribbles with a crayon without imitating the direction and shapes, but he likes to draw with adults.

Speech shaping – reacts to sounds from the environment, looks for the source of the sound, reacts to musical sounds. Active speech at the word stage – repeats many one and two-syllable words on command. Points to parts of the face, says the correct words (ear, eye, etc.).

Social behavior and the emotional sphere – visible improvement of contact and relationships, establishing contact without difficulty. He is cheerful, establishes basic relations with children, reacts positively to games, and imitates. Develops the basics of independence in everyday activities. Eat by himself.

 

The children experienced neglect and abuse before coming to the orphanage.

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.

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.

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

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.

Rowan is smiley, and loves to clap and listen to what is going on around him. Agency staff met Rowan in July of 2022! Contact them to learn more about Rowan and his medical needs!

VIDEO:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-rowan01
Password: Adoptmaa

Finn is a beautiful boy who will need a special family to care for his medical needs. Agency staff met Finn in July of 2022; they can provide more info on Finn and his medical needs!

VIDEO:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-finn1
Password: Adoptmaa

Nathan enjoys arts and crafts, playing with toys, and listening to music. Those who know him, describe Nathan as easy going and gets along well with others. Nathan has an outgoing personality and enjoys talking with people.

Nathan is a second grader in elementary school. His teacher stated he is considerate and gets along well with his peers. Nathan receives one-on-one tutoring to help him with his homework, and he is taking additional one-on-one language lessons with his teacher at school.

Naomi’s favorite activities include listening to stories, playing games,  playing with toy cars, running and jumping rope. Those who know Naomi describe her as shy at first and takes time when she is getting to know someone new. Once she has built a relationship with someone, she is friendly and enjoys interacting with them.

Naomi is receiving occupational therapy for fine motor delays and speech therapy for her language delays.  Her speech therapist mentioned she has made vast improvements on pronunciation since starting therapy.  At school her teacher has Naomi read passages aloud from her textbook to help strengthen her pronunciation of words.

Naomi is a first grader in elementary school. Her teacher stated she has good learning skills, and she gets along well with her peers.

Nathan and Naomi live at the same children’s home, where they are able to continue to have a close relationship. Nathan shares a room with 3 other boys between the ages of 6-12 years old, and Naomi shares a room with 3 other girls between the ages of 6-11 years old.

Are you a family that can give the necessary time to build a trusting bond with Naomi? Give Nathan one-on-one time to help him focus on tasks at hand?

Brock is a very social boy, who likes to kick a ball. Brock has continued to develop and grow. Agency staff met Brock in July of 2022! We hope his forever family will see him soon! The agency has additional information available for inquiring families.

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

Angelo likes playing with bubbles and painting with tempera. He enjoys crafts and exploring the different materials and textures. Angelo also likes building towers and playing in water. He is described as social and showing great interest in everything that happens around him. He is a great observer.

Angelo is able to kick a ball forward with help, throw a ball over his shoulder and catch a ball with rebound most of the time. He is able to pedal a tricycle and climb the stairs with help. He is able to undress. His motor coordination is good, which makes it easier for him to string objects. Angelo has a good understanding of orders and knows and recognizes language. Contact the agency to learn more about Angelo and his medical needs!

Monte has a bright and warm smile. He is described as a social young boy who likes to play with his friends. He also gets along well with adults and is very affectionate with his caretakers. Sometimes he is timid, but he warms up quickly. Monte loves to build things. He follows instructions well and enjoys spending time with his foster family. Contact the agency to learn more about Monte and his special needs!

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

Half-brothers Noah and Neil live with their foster parents and 13 year old foster sister. Noah and Neil have a good relationship with one another and with their foster sister.

Noah’s favorite activities include watching tv, playing board games and building with blocks! Noah is a little shy around new people and new environments.  Once he warms up, he will seek hugs and wants to hold hands with people he feels comfortable with.

Noah has an ADHD diagnosis, and the file from Taiwan states he has “traits similar to Asperger’s syndrome”. Noah is currently taking medication to help him focus, and he is attending weekly group therapy sessions. Noah is a 2nd grader in elementary school where math and Mandarin are his strongest subjects. During recess, Noah LOVES to pretend he is a policeman with his schoolmates!

Neil enjoys any type of physical activity, such as playing on the playground! He also likes activities that require creativity, such as putting puzzles together and building structures with blocks.

He is described as an outgoing and active child, who loves to smile! He is very curious around new people and adjusts to new environments quickly.

Neil has language, cognitive, motor and social emotional delays. He receives OT, PT and speech therapies weekly. His foster father noted Neil is improving his vocabulary and now able to speak more sentences at home. Neil attends pre-school and his favorite class is PE.

Jonny ADORES listening to his foster mother play piano and excitedly jumps around to the beat of the music! After she finishes a song, Jonny will place her hands back on the keys to express his desire for her to play another song. Jonny also enjoys playing with toys that make sounds and light-up, coloring with his 11 year old foster brother, riding his tricycle, and building with Jenga blocks!

Jonny has a good relationship with his foster family. His foster parents describe him as active and outgoing. Jonny is not shy around strangers or new surroundings.

Jonny has autism spectrum disorder and global delays. He also has thalassemia.  Johnny attends weekly speech therapy and OT sessions. He is enrolled in special education classes at pre-school. At home, Jonny’s foster mother works with him to complete themed jigsaw puzzles to help him work on his fine motor skills and vocabulary. He recently completed a puzzle with various cars, and he is now able to identify a police car and fire engine!

Are you a family that has the time and patience to support Jonny with making further steps forward with his development?  Enjoy dancing to music?