Other Special Needs Girls, 0-5

Monica is described as very sweet with a good appetite. She has a calm disposition and is always in a good mood. Her development is impaired with delays in fine motor skills, speech perception, expressive language, auditory attention, independence and sociality. Gross motor skills are significantly impaired. Visual attention is the most advanced. She gurgles and is very interested in various toys. She loves to touch and feel things. She observes her surroundings, knows people who are often with her, and is reluctant to accept strangers until she is used to them. She is very happy to be spoken to, moves her hands, smiles, giggles, chuckles, laughs loudly, and responds in her own language. She loves to be held, picked up and carried around. When placed on her tummy, she raises her head, holds it a little, tries to reach for toys. She has a calm disposition and a good attitude. She is catheterized every 4 hours, with an 8-hour overnight break. She is becoming more independent, tries to drink from a cup she is holding, eats by herself holding a biscuit in her hand, holds a spoon, picks up small crumbs with her fingers and puts them in her mouth.

Marcy is a 4 year old girl with frontal craniostenosis and tuberous sclerosis. Marcy was diagnosed with conductive and sensorineural deafness. Non-orbidity of both eyes. The girl currently does not use corrective glasses, as recommended by ophthalmologists. She is generally cheerful, and is able to imitate gestures and independently eat meals. She struggles with dressing herself and identifying some shapes and colors. Marcy is able to respond to simple commands and messages. She enjoys playing with toys and demonstrates improvement in her coordination. She is very patient and kind. It is recommended for her to wear glasses. Her speech development is delayed, but she can still communicate, and she has demonstrated improvement. Above all she is a nice girl with very many good qualities.

This sweet girl has de Grouchy genetic syndrome. She made the greatest development in the motor sphere. Walks on all fours, sits down and sits alone. In the cognitive sphere, no major changes are observed. The general level of non-harmonious, below age. She pays attention to her surroundings and will watch the other children play. She is in need of a family to shower her with love and care and support her as she continues to move through her life.

 

 

Update 10/2023:

Despite her cognitive development being at a low level, Loralie has improved tremendously in her development and has begun acquiring new abilities. She is able to move freely, recognize basic shapes, and scribble on paper. The girl has good motor skills. She can walk independently and can even run and walk tiptoed.

Loralie smiles often but seeks comfort in difficult moments. She shows normal emotions for different situations, but usual to excessive degrees. She can eat independently and attempts to change clothes independently. She can understand simple commands, but she is not able to communicate verbally. Loralie is afraid of dogs and elevators. She struggles with eye-contact. She works hard to gain independence in everything she does. A lot of her understanding of objects comes from her sensory experiences, specifically from playing with toys or trying a different food. She demonstrates resilience because she is always working to obtain independence in her actions and is constantly wanting to improve.

FAS, defect of the atrial septum, kidney agenesis, impaired and delayed psychomotor development, hypoplasia of the corpus callosum. The girl is making progress, but her development is now estimated at 12-15 months of age. She is curious about her surroundings and active in movement. She walks alone (still with her legs wide apart) and climbs the stairs holding her caregiver’s hand. Klair manipulates objects by shaking them or tapping them against herself. She can put items into box and take them out and build the tower. She does not know how to use a crayon yet and she can’t trace. She seeks contact with adults. She likes to be carried, tickled and hugged. The girl is making progress, but her development is estimated at 12-15 months of age.

June is a little girl, but she can make a lot of noise! You can often hear her in every room of the children’s home. Just when you start reading a story or giving directions June will start up, blowing raspberries or just experimenting with how high she can yell. When she’s feeling less feisty June loves to cuddle. She enjoys spending time in someone’s arms or a carrier, and will often fall asleep there. June cannot see well so she prefers toys that make lots of noise- she’s especially good at using her legs to kick the piano mat or crinkle wrapping paper. She also enjoys being tickled or gently bounced on a lap. June is working very hard at sitting up on her own- she has fantastic head control, can flip herself onto her stomach, and is also improving at grasping toys independently. June would benefit from good medical care to better control her epilepsy. She will bring lots of noise and fun, as well as an abundance of love to any family that chooses to bring her home.

Rosita is a sweet young girl waiting for a family of her own. We hope Rosita’s forever family sees her while she’s still so young! Contact the agency to learn more about Rosita and her listed medical needs!

VIDEOS:

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-rosita
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-rosita1
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-rosita02
Password: Adoptmaa

Agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Videos show Jodie crawling on all 4s, exploring her environment, playing with toys and interacting with orphanage staff.

She is described as a radiant girl. She always has a smile on her face. She observes the games of the children from her group. She likes listening to children’s songs and dances. She rarely cries. Individual attention from an adult brings her happiness.

Bless was born in June 2019. She resides in a Home for Medical and Social Care.
Bless was born from a pathological pregnancy, 3rd degree premature, experienced fetal asphyxia and congenital measles infection with subsequent spasticity of the 4 limbs, oral automatisms, severe retardation in neuro-psychic development, blindness as a result of retinopathy of prematurity.

She does not respond to sound signals. She does not blink. She often suffers from respiratory diseases. Bless turns from her back to her stomach and vice versa but prefers to remain in a supine position. From a supine position, she pushes herself up with her legs and shoulders and moves into space. She obliges herself in a passive sitting position in a walker. She has control over her head. She steps on her toes, but there is no support for her legs. The child holds a toy placed by the adult in her hand, puts it in her mouth, but for a short time. Undeveloped impressive and expressive vocabulary. Increased sound sensitivity. Spontaneously utters vocals and guttural sounds. She does not pay attention to her surroundings. The child is fed by an adult. She falls asleep on her own. She is completely dependent on the adult.

Nancy has lived with an experienced foster family since birth. The foster mother was very proactive in getting therapy and services started for Nancy at a very young age. Nancy does not speak, but she understands everything, recognizes people from her immediate environment, laughs with her voice when she likes something. When holding someone’s hand, she can take a few steps. She can crawl and tries to stand up on her own by holding onto a stationary support. She turns easily from back to stomach and vice versa. She sits up and eats from a spoon. 

This little one needs a family to help her reach her full potential. While meeting psychomotor milestones she has other developmental delays.

Viv is a cute little girl who likes watching children’s videos and loves playing outside at the park. She loves music and dancing while sitting. Viv gets excited when playing with dolls and listening to music. Her general development is within her age range, but a little behind because of her skin condition. Contact the adoption agency to learn more about Viv and her listed medical condition!

Zoey is one of the most beautiful little girls you’ll ever meet. She was born with some developmental delays, but then experienced a stroke when she was two and a half. This greatly set back her abilities. However, since then she’s been in a foster family where she’s relearned how to sit, roll, and grasp toys. She is working on self-feeding and becoming verbal again. Although Zoey had a seizure with her stroke she hasn’t had one since, and rarely requires medical care now. However, she may benefit from a better neurologist to understand her brain’s unique functions and abilities. Zoey is not short of opinions and will let you know exactly how she is feeling with tears or laughter! She loves to play and her giggle is absolutely infectious. She loves playing with water, musical instruments, and anything that makes noise. Zoey also loves to eat and isn’t picky at all! She is a social girl who has loved having two foster brothers. Zoey will bring an abundance of joy to any family who chooses to love her forever!

Hanelle was admitted to the Group home in March 2021. The director of the home reported that since then the child has improved significantly – she has become stronger, she has started to eat better; she can now turn her self from the back to the abdomen. There is no support for the legs – when they put her on her feet. If she is put to sit, leaning on pillows, she stays in this position stably. She does not receive any therapies. She has better head control, now. 

The child has adapted to the new environment. At first, she didn’t want to eat. She is eating well now. She likes to be paid attention to, held in her arms and rocked, she likes to be massaged. She seeks attention and tries to attract attention to herself by making sounds. She smiles, even laughs out loud at the teasing of adults. She reacts when they talk to her and when she hears her name. 

She started eating better. She eats pureed common food with both a pacifier and a spoon. They feed her. She prefers to eat sweet things. Hanelle loves mashed fruits and vegetables. They give her adapted and vitamin-enriched milk with biscuits. Drinks water from a pacifier; can’t drink from a glass.

Alyssa was a sleepy girl at the beginning of our Zoom call but as her caregivers slowly nudged and called her name, she began to wake up. Two and a half-year-old Alyssa is not speaking, but we learned from her caregivers that she is a cuddly child who loves being held. She will also smile when she hears her name called. Alyssa likes listening to music as it helps to calm her, along with additional cuddles when she is upset. Alyssa seems curious in new environments. She doesn’t interact much with other children due to her mobility. Instead of playing with toys, she would rather be rocked and listen to music.  Alyssa’s diet consists of her formula which she consumes through a nasal feeding tube.

Alyssa is diagnosed with global developmental delays, hydrocephalus and seizure disorder. She resides in a nursing home and receives 30 minutes of occupational and physical therapy each week. The agency has much more information on Alyssa. Could your family be the one she needs?

Polly has been given a diagnosis of childhood Autism and is on several medications. She is now in a day program for children with disabilities and is receiving therapy services. As a result, she’s made progress in all aspects of her development. Polly speaks using simple words and small sentences. She understands everything said to her and can follow 2 and 3-step directions. She is able to express her wants and needs either through words or gestures. She asks questions. She learns new tasks best when a combination of verbal directions and visual demonstrations are used. She prefers playing alone and can play or work on a task for 10-15 minutes at a time uninterrupted. She plays appropriately with toys that interest her: coloring, building with blocks, kitchen/household toys (play kitchen, etc). She feeds herself with a spoon and drinks from an open cup. She’s toilet trained during the day, but still has some accidents when sleeping.

Janice enjoys outdoor activities, especially riding her tricycle, sliding down the slide in the neighborhood park and bouncing around a basketball.  When she isn’t participating in a physical activity, Janice likes reading books and singing nursery rhymes with “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and “The Butterflies are so Beautiful” being her favorites!

Janice is shy around strangers, but interacts with them once she becomes familiar. Janice acts affectionately towards people she is familiar with and asks for cuddles. Janice has a close bond with her foster family and likes to seek their affection.

Janice has a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis with moderate cognitive and motor skills delays.  She currently attends physical, occupational and speech therapies. Janice has made good progress, and she is now able to climb stairs, jump on the ground 10 times in a row, and complete a 4 piece puzzle! At home, Janice will imitate her foster mother’s speech and ask questions.

Could you imagine pushing Janice on the swings at your neighborhood park or teaching her how to ride a bicycle?   If you think you could be the right family for her, don’t hesitate to reach out

Miriam came into care at six months of age. She was very small and had poor sucking reflex. At the age of 16 months, her skills were at about the 11-month mark. She is listed as having global developmental delay in the moderate to severe range. In April of 2022, Miriam walked without any assistance from anyone for the first time. Everyone was thrilled! Despite her delays, Miriam shows remarkable improvements daily. She is becoming active and physically strong. She is emotionally attached to the staff and relates well to all the house parents and caregivers. Miriam plays and interacts with some of the children. She is sweet and lovely. Her smile makes her even more adorable. The whole team is very fond of her. Miriam needs a family that would wholeheartedly accept her condition and one who is willing to walk her through the struggles and challenges of Noonan Syndrome. The family must be willing to seek the professional help she will need as she grows. Contact the agency to learn more about Miriam!

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.

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

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

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

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

Update 2022:

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

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

Joyana’s favorite activities include playing on a yoga ball, hugging her ragdolls and playing with toys that light-up and make sounds. Joyana also likes nursery rhymes, with “A Mud Doll (Ni-Wa-Wa)” being her favorite! When she hears her caregivers sing Ni-Wa-Wa, she will sing along to the words ‘wa-wa’ and sway her body to the beat. Joyana is shy in new environments and around new people, but happily plays once she has warmed up to them. She has a close bond with her foster family and enjoys playtime with her 3 year old foster sister.

Joyana has cognitive, motor and speech developmental delays. Joy currently attends occupational therapy, and her caregivers hope she will start physical therapy soon. In the meantime her caregivers continue to work with her to practice and improve her muscle strength and endurance. At the time of this report, they were helping Joy learning to climb up and down stairs by herself! Joy has a surgical history of craniosynostosis surgery and polydactyly surgery (12/2020).

Can you imagine singing nursery rhymes with Joy as part of your nightly bedtime routine?

Jesslyn is a snuggly baby that likes to be cuddled and hugged by her caregivers. When tired or upset she is able to relax when she hears music or soothing sounds. Although Jesslyn is not able to say words yet, she is able to vocalize through babbling.

Jesslyn needs parents who are comfortable with the many unknowns that are presented by her significant special needs. Jesslyn has epilepsy, hydrocephalus, global developmental delays, and vision concerns.

The agency has additional information and actual photos of Marlee (the image here is a stock image provided by the agency).

Sweet Marlee is just 20-months old and because of her diagnoses (cerebral palsy, microcephaly, oromotor dystonia) she is unable to find an adoptive family within her country. Marlee is currently living in an institution and her caregivers report that she is making great progress. She is now sitting unsupported, clapping her hands, grabbing toys and vocalizing. With the love and commitment of an adoptive family along with the resources for support that are available in the United States, Marlee would have a chance to develop to her full potential.

Also, because of some unique legal circumstances in Marlee’s case, travel timelines in country for completing the adoption are expected to be significantly reduced.