Other Special Needs

Update 10/24

He has several special needs including congenital internal hydrocephalus and spina bifida aperta (thoraco-lumbar). Vernon is undergoing daily rehabilitation. His condition is monitored by a pediatric neurologist, a neurosurgeon and a pediatrician.

Vernon can turn independently from his back to his stomach and vice versa. He has good head control. He can purposefully grab a toy and hold it.  He enjoys personal attention from an adult, laughs loudly at teasing and reacts with displeasure when left unattended. He is mostly calm. No aggressive behavior was recorded. When he is called by name, he turns toward the direction of the sound.  He reacts to a noise stimulus. He speaks syllables and long sound combinations.

VIDEO:
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Agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances (with a specific adoption agency).

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

Look at the sweet smile on Bella!  Bella spends the majority of the time in her bed or in the special stroller that she can be pushed in.  She is often fed in the stroller as well.  She is fed with a bottle.

Agency staff member said the following:  Given the fact that only a rehabilitator is currently working with the child and the staff at the Home only have time to cover her basic needs, it is definitely very difficult to say to what extent the little girl has developmental potential. In my opinion, Bella liked it when she received personal attention such as being spoken to gently, being teased by me or by my showing her different toys. She had been working on a smile during that time.  Most of the time, both her arms and legs were in motion, and she even managed to roll over in bed. She needs a lot of love and attention and systematic and purposeful activities with specialists.

He is a great eater with either blended or soft foods, but not great at drinking liquids. He has a lot of small seizures throughout the day, but is on the max amount of seizure medication that can be found consistently in his country.

In school and therapy he does a lot of sensory activities and is working on using his arms for purposeful movement. He has a stander that he likes to use while playing his toy piano. He doesn’t have an advanced way to communicate yet as he is blind and doesn’t have much purposeful movement but he does let us know when he is happy, mad, or would like something. He mostly only gets fussy sometimes at night time when he wants to be rocked to sleep, when he has to take baths, or when he thinks his food is too spicy.

Update 8/2024

The agency staff member who visited her during March of 2024, says the following:

Emma is a sweet little girl who needs a loving and supportive family environment. During my brief visit, the child was constantly on the move except for the brief moments when she played with a particular toy or during her brief moments of protest. At the present time, the child’s needs are met at a basic level, with particular attention paid to her medical needs. The lack of systematic and in-depth work of specialists (such as a rehabilitator, occupational therapist, special pedagogue, speech therapist and others) is felt, which the institution currently does not have the opportunity to provide. By falling into a suitable loving family, receiving more attention and adequate care and activities, Emma could show her potential to a greater extent.

Update 8/2024

Eloise’s ability to communicate her needs and emotions through gestures and sounds demonstrates her keen self-awareness, and her empathetic nature is evident when she comforts her loved ones. Though faced with medical challenges, Eloise has proven to be remarkably resilient.

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-eloise01
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https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-eloise04
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Agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Katrina’s physical development and gross motor skills are age appropriate. She talks, but has some difficulty with articulation. Her fine motor skills are developed, but slightly delayed. She is diagnosed with mental delays. She knows and names the colors. She knows the letters of the alphabet and she has started reading. She already counts up to 30 and she writes some numbers. She knows the days of the week, seasons, left vs right, body parts, and can follow directions using instructions such as over/under, front/back, etc. She plays well with other children and enjoys attention from adults. She likes to work on a magnetic board, kinetic sand and active cards. She already colors in a contour and she is very diligent when connecting lines. She can cut and glue ready elements. She can read and the fact that she is being praised for that makes her very happy.

She follows the directions of an adult in relation to the hygiene and household activities. She can dress and undress her. She washes her hands and feeds herself independently, she makes attempts for self-serving. She takes care her belongings. She keeps her materials from school in a certain place.

Lilian is described as happy and communicative girl who is very creative. She interacts positively with adults and other children. She is currently in the fifth grade where she is known to be a good student.

Sonny is a quiet boy though he smiles and babbles to communicate with others. He is a quadriplegic child with cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

The agency can attempt to obtain additional information for interested families.

Please meet Brandon; he has multiple special needs. Sadly Brandon relies totally on the care of others.  He sleeps in a room with four other children.  The caretaker says he seems to like music and likes the bath.  He can make some sounds for speech.  He has difficulty feeding and swallowing.

The agency staff member that met Brandon said the following:  “According to the caretaker, there is a slight regression, especially in terms of feeding. Unfortunately, I have not been given an opportunity to speak to any of the specialists engaged with the boy and possibly what exactly they are working on. Brandon could have some potential, but it’s very hard to tell.  In any case, he needs a lot of love, a lot of attention and a lot of activities.”  Could you be the family for Brandon?

The agency staff member who met her during March of 2024, says the following: Nany likes music, and it seems to settle her down. She also likes being in the swing. At times she turned to various sounds. She can lift her head slightly while lying on her stomach. Nany is an extremely fragile, sweet and lovable little girl who needs lots of love, attention, understanding, support and lots of cuddles. Given the serious diagnoses, working with additional specialists definitely would ease and help the child’s condition. Nany is in need of a very prepared and supportive family.

Nany’s current adoption agency has grant funding is available for qualifying families.

The child has severe lag in physical and neuropsychiatric development. Severe mental deficiency.  Needs systematic motor rehabilitation, classes with a speech therapist, psychologist and typhlopedagogue. Weak rehabilitation potential. Followed by a pediatric neurologist and ophthalmologist.

The child can turn from back to stomach and back. Does not crawl, does not sit independently, does not have a four-legged stand. Does not stand up, holding on to a support. Holds a toy placed in the hand for a short time. Lacks a pincer grip. The average mental age of the child corresponds to 3-5 months. The child is mostly calm with accompanying episodes of irritability, expressed through crying. Quickly calms down by the presence and attention of an adult. There are no indications of aggressive behavior or manifestations. Does not utter words, syllables and sound imitations. Does not turn when called by name. Does not initiate contact with other children. The child is completely dependent on the care of an adult. Takes food from an adult with a spoon (less often from a bottle). Falls asleep independently.

There is evidence of a brother with an autoimmune disease – Alopecia areata.

Those who know Joyce say she has a gentle personality. She likes to act cute and will become lively around familiar people. Joyce has a good relationship with her foster parents and gets excited when their 7 year old grandson visits on the weekend. They get along well and play with each other for hours.

Joyce presents with global delays and has Epilepsy and Thalassemia.  It is suspected she has ADHD.  Joyce attends OT and PT sessions. Joyce attends special education classes at elementary school and an afterschool class. She is making progress with her language skills and can respond to questions with single words.

Are you a family that can support Joyce with growing her language skills? Enjoy singing along to nursery rhymes with her?

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.

Molly May has undergone multiple surgeries to repair her cleft lip & palate. She is under the continued care of the doctor who is performing these procedures. She is also under the regular care of a neurologist, who diagnosed her with CP in 2018. She had suffered from “constant shaking” resulting in uncontrollable movements up until a few months ago. The social worker reports that this has greatly improved and that Molly May’s movement are now more calm and she also sleeps calmly too. Videos taken in April 2019 show her interacting with toys.

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

Photos are available through the agency for qualified families.

Tiana and Tenaya are loving sisters who look forward to a permanent and loving home of their own, with parents who will support them. Tenaya, born October of 2010, is a lovely girl who enjoys spending time with her sister and friends. She is affectionate with those people she feels close to and loves. She tends to be more introverted. Tenaya shows respect to her caretakers and peers. Tiana’s favorite activities include jumping, dancing, singing, and playing with her sister and her friends. She also likes to go for walks and listen to music. She adheres to change without difficulty and accepts the home rules. Tiana, born October 2014, is described as a cheerful and quiet girl. She has good social skills, which allow her to interact with adults and her peers. She likes to participate in active games, especially those that include running. She also likes to play board, such as dominoes, at the local park.

VIDEOS:

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-tenaya

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-tenayatiana

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There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Tiana and Tenaya’s adoption, with a specific grant agency. Additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Fera did not attend school until 2021 but has already progressed to the fifth grade! Her academic development has been great. She gets anxious when she has tests at school or when she is asked about her Indigenous community. It bothers her when she is not able to complete homework on her own. Fera recognizes authority figures; she is respectful and obedient toward them, including her teachers. She can stay focused on one specific task and follow simple and complex instructions.

Fera is known to be very responsible. She is an independent girl, who does not require help to fulfill her daily routines; she is a great helper around her foster home. She has good sleep and eating habits. Fera manages her impulses and frustration in accordance with her chronological age. She is usually calm and collected. When situations bother her, she simply moves to a different place and abstains from any interaction. Fera takes good care of her personal belongings and is well organized. She has good hygiene habits.

There are no concerns regarding Fera’s motor, language, cognitive and social development. Fera is currently clinically healthy, she does not take any medication. Due to a tuberculosis episode, she goes from time to time to see the pneumologist. While she is clinically healthy, it is important to realize that all children available for adoption has a history of trauma and likely will need psychological/mental health services once they are home.

Fera is shy by nature—she is quiet and takes her time to feel comfortable and interact with others. She is very selective with her group of friends or people she trusts. She keeps a low profile and does not feel comfortable being the leader of group. She is able to give and receive affection, and she does not get jealous when her foster parents pay attention to the other children. She interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. Seeing homeless children or stray animals wandering on the street makes Fera sad. She is also afraid of the dark and deep waters.

Fera enjoys spending time with her friends, especially when she gets to go to the pool or the river with them. She especially likes going to birthday parties she is invited to at times. She also enjoys simple things like going for a walk. Fera is talented at painting. She says would like to become a veterinarian and take a beauty course to learn how to do different hairstyles.

Lucia and Charles are a very bonded Afro-Latin brother and sister sibling set who live together in the same foster home. They came into care when they were 8 and 2 years old respectively. Before coming into care, one of her older brothers often fulfilled a parental role with them but was abusive in this role. When they first came into care and for a while after, Lucia took the position of maternal figure to Charles and was opposing to the foster mothers which led to changes in foster homes. Over time, however, she settled in and started allowing the foster mother to take over the maternal role. They are doing well at their current foster home.

Lucia

Lucia, 15, is currently in the 8^th grade where she participates in extracurricular activities, including soccer. She has improved in taking responsibility for her schoolwork over years past and has improved in family and interpersonal relationships. Though Lucia will complete her schoolwork, she is not overly interested in on academic subject over the other. However, she is interested in pursuing studies in beauty related fields such as cosmetology or being a beautician. She also likes to cook and is constantly trying to learn and perfect new skills.  Lucia is overall healthy, but will need to continue mental health services to help her work through her past trauma and to transition to a new family.

While Lucia tends to be an independent young lady, she seeks the approval of the adults she trusts to feel safe and confident. Her ability to control her emotions and anxiety has increased and she is learning ways of coping with her anxiety in productive ways. Due to past trauma, Lucia has exhibited a high need for control which contributed to her anxiety, but she has been learning to let go of some control and to allow herself to be in the role she should be in at her age and stage in life. Sadly, it is known that Lucia has been the victim of sexual abuse from at least two perpetrators—one prior to coming into care and one while in care. She self-reported these instances and has received psychological services to help her work through them. Lucia has come to realize that these instances were not her fault and is able to recognize that these instances do not define her. She has not sexually acted out toward others and has not participated in any self-harming behaviors.

As Lucia has continued to work through her past, she is evolving into a responsible and self-aware young lady. Lucia enjoys anything related to makeup and beauty as well as preparing special meals and desserts. When Lucia is happy, it is clearly seen in her face and continence—she literally often jumps for joy.

Charles

Charles, 9, is in the third grade at his new school after the siblings were moved to a new foster home. However, he is supposed to be in the second grade with an individual education plan that had not yet been implemented at the new school as of the time of the report. As a result, his academic performance has been poor this year, but they were supposed to re-implement his plan. Charles has a specialized plan due to a diagnosis of mild mental retardation (F708). Overall, Charles is a very collaborative child with a high sense of belonging who enjoys interactions with his peers. He is motivated by being included in activities and also by being recognized for acts of service. He is able to care for himself independently in an age-appropriate manner.

Charles’ motor skills are age-appropriate, but he does receive occupational therapy and speech therapy. On his IQ testing, he scored 68, but there is a high probability that the score actually falls in the 63-77 range due to some discrepancy between composite indices. More information is available in the child study and available documents. In addition to the diagnosis of mild mental retardation, he was diagnosed in January 2025 with conduct disorder not otherwise specified (F919) and disturbance of activity and attention (F900). He takes daily medication. Charles also wears glasses and had a diagnosis in April 2025 of blepharitis (H010) which is receiving care from the optometrist for.

The change of foster homes has been difficult for Charles, though it was necessary for the protection of the children. Coupled with the change in caregivers and environment is the expected changes in Lucia as she is now older and wants to live the more autonomous life of a teenager that is not filled with being his caregiver as was previously her role. These changes have left Charles feeling lonely and confused. These emotions have affected his behavior, and he sometimes has tantrums or becomes upset easily. It is important to note that Charles has no history of known sexual abuse but was subject as a toddler to the domestic abuse and control from his older brother when he and Lucia were in their birth family.

Charles enjoys going outside, playing football and soccer, going to the park and watching movies. He also enjoys building with blocks.

Bella receives occupational therapy which has helped her be able to scribble with crayons, feed herself, open food containers and snack packages, etc. While she does not speak, she is able to make her needs and wants known through gestures facial expressions, vocalizations, and also through picture cards. She knows a few signs as well such as “thank you.” Due to Bella’s multiple diagnoses, she requires assistance with her daily living activities though she is able to take part in her care.

Bella was born exposed to and addicted to drugs. Following her birth, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy characterized by dyskinesia and spastic quadriplegia, microcephaly, strabismus, global developmental delay, and severe intellectual disability. In 2017, she was also diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

It is clear that Bella has established a bond with her caregivers and she enjoys their presence. She greets her teachers and plays clapping games with them. She is able to pay attention during lessons and has demonstrated the ability to learn. While she will always need a caregiver, it is believed that being in a loving family will help Bella continue to develop and grow in her abilities.  She enjoys playing on a sit-n-spin, swinging or playing on a see-saw. She is drawn to mirrors and toys with lights and/or music.

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So excited we have permission to share Angelo’s pictures!

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!

NEW VIDEO:
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NEW VIDEOS: 10/2024

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-angelo3

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-angelo04

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-angelo5

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Vance was also previously listed as Vinnie.

Introducing an amazing sibling group of three from Eastern Europe: Dawson, Dahlia, & Addison. After an incident in the home of the family on 14 March 2022 the boy received a first degree burn on his face and arms. Six surgeries have been performed, with one of them using the child’s right thigh as a donor site. He was discharged on 04/05/2022 and he was placed together with his sisters, Dahlia and Addison, in an emergency unit. The parents desired for the children to be brought up in a foster family. After a matching period, Dawson, Dahlia, and Addison were placed in a foster family. Contacts between the parents and the children were being performed once a month.

Later, in a multidisciplinary meeting with the Director of Social Assistance on 11/07/2023, it was decided that the children are to be registered in the registry for Adoption and their contacts with the biological family have been discontinued. The children have experienced the trauma of having lived in an abusive home, but otherwise are healthy, beautiful children.

Kalin came into care as a baby when his mother brought him to the hospital and it was discovered he was in poor condition. He had a high fever, was malnourished, had a diaper rash and was noted to have overall developmental delay as well as cataracts. His mother was an older teenager and she had not sought any care for the medical condition he had had at birth. Kalin was 5 years, 8 months old at the time of this report from July 2024. Kalin´s current diagnoses are autism, unspecified asthma, congenital cataracts, and overall developmental delay. He takes daily medication. Kalin still wears diapers during the day and night.

Kalin is not formally enrolled in school. He has been diagnosed with autism and unspecified overall developmental delay. He currently goes to physical, occupational, speech, and psychological therapy. The psychiatrist recommended the foster mother take the child to school gradually. He goes to pre-k two days a week and for just a couple of hours. At first, he did not want to stay there but over time, the foster mother states that he is used to going to school and enjoys his time there. He loves toys that make different sounds, and he can play alone for more than 15 minutes.

There are no major concerns regarding Kalin´s gross motor skills, and he is still improving his fine motor skills. Since he is now used to wearing his glasses, this has helped him with his sense of feeling safe to perform different physical activities. He is starting to talk with some difficulties; however, through sounds and facial gestures, it is easy to understand what he wants. He has begun to imitate the sounds of some animals. Kalin is able to identify people´s emotions by looking at their facial expressions. He is able to give and receive affection with those he is familiar with, and he does not get jealous when his caregiver pays attention to other children. He is not shy—whenever he arrives at a new place, he explores his surroundings interacting with adults or kids. At times, Kalin gets anxious when he wants to play with something but needs to wait. Sometimes he gets upset when he is hungry and his food is not ready or he needs to wait for it to cool down. He is afraid of sudden loud noises.

Kalin enjoys playing with toys that make music. The child´s favorite food is spaghetti with chicken or ground beef. He is interested in musical instruments.

Sally and Ria live in a foster home.

Sally is in the fifth grade where she is an average student. She likes to go to school, and she is known for being helpful and kind. However, it is difficult for her to fully understand the different academic contents which often leads her to get easily frustrated and give up. It is important to mention that while living with her biological family, there were many times when she was not enrolled in school which likely contributes to her difficulties. While her favorite subject is language, her language and cognitive development are delayed. Sally has trouble reading and making complete thoughts. She also has trouble with math. She easily forgets new concepts. It has been observed that the child has difficulty following complex instructions. For the most part, Sally manages her frustrations and impulses, but there are moments where she gets overwhelmed with a task or homework. It is hard for her to stay quiet in one place as she is curious of her surroundings and active. She recognizes authority figures and is respectful towards them.

There are no concerns regarding her motor development. Socially, she interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. She is able to give and receive affection, and sometimes she gets jealous when her foster mother pays attention to the other children. Sally gets anxious when she finds herself in a new environment and with unknown people. She is shy when meeting new people and often needs a mediator to help her interact with others. However, once she knows a new child, she enjoys interacting with her peers. She is able to verbally express her feelings and emotions. It is upsetting to her when she is scolded for misbehaving. She also worries that she may be separated from her sister. Sally is still learning to take care of her belongings and requires supervision from her foster mother to keep all her things organized and in a good state. Sally also requires supervision with her hygiene. Sally goes to occupational therapy and has follow-up visits with the psychiatrist.

Sally enjoys playing pretend, especially with her teacher or her sister. She is interested in playing soccer but due to her nutritional state, she had limitations to do sports. Her favorite colors are pink and purple. Sally would like to become a doctor to help anybody in need. She has also stated her desire to have a mom, a dad and another sibling.

Ria is in the third grade. Her academic performance is lower than expected so she receives extra support after school. She loves anything art-related, and her least favorite subject is math. She recognizes authority figures, follows rules and is usually respectful toward adults. Ria gets easily distracted and requires supervision to fulfill her tasks. It is hard for her to stay quiet in one place, and she needs to be reminded of what is expected of her in different locations. Ria had an IQ test, and the results showed a delay in her chronological age. She has trouble memorizing things, is hyperactive and gets easily distracted.

There are no concerns regarding her motor development. Her expressive and comprehensive language development is delayed. Socially, Ria is shy when meeting people and will wait until somebody takes the initiative to start a conversation. Ria gets anxious whenever she is in an unfamiliar place and surrounded by unknown people, and it upsets her when she is approached by unfamiliar people. Ria interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. She seeks to have friends, but sometimes this seeking has caused behavioral problems at school. She does not get jealous when her foster mother pays attention to the other children. Ria used to lie to avoid the consequences of her actions, however this behavior only happens from time to time. Ria is able to verbally express her feelings and emotions, and she manages them at an age-appropriate level. The foster mother needs to constantly remind her to take care of her personal belongings and to improve her hygiene. She gets upset when peers take her belongings without her permission. It is also upsetting to her when her foster mother has to scold her.

Playing with her foster siblings and her sister makes Ria happy. She has great skills in drawing and painting. Ria has stated that she would love to have a mom, dad, and other siblings. She would like to become a doctor, veterinarian, nurse, or teacher.

Winnie has two sisters who are also available for adoption, but separately from Winnie. The agency is hoping to find two families, so the girls can stay in touch.

Nilo has diverse interests.

Nilo experiences attachment to children and therapists. She is sad when separated from someone. She seeks contact with adults, classmates and older students and engages in joint activities with them, she participates in role-playing games. She has mastered the social role of a student and classmate. Nilo helps her classmates when she sees that they are having a hard time. The comfort zone is the classroom and Montessori room.

The child communicates verbally, expresses wishes, and is often persistent about them, especially about things that spark her interest. When asked a question, she needs time to think about it and reproduce an answer; she constantly asks questions and seeks approval. The answer is not always adequate to the situation. She doesn’t always
understand the meaning of what was said and the execution of a relevant instruction.

Nilo likes a variety of toys, and she possesses different ones. She can play with other children and is cooperative, she shares her belongings. Nilo has developed self-service skills and readiness for academic work. She has established hygiene habits. She eats independently; dresses and undresses; unfastens and fastens; puts on and takes off shoes; she knows the parts of clothing. She can’t tie shoelaces.

She can say that she is in a foster family and that the foster mother raised her. The girl partially understands that foster care is temporary. She listens and accepts information related to the possibility of being adopted and meets potential adoptive parents, but still, she cannot imagine living in a different place.

When Mell was born, his biological parents tried to take care of him even with his special needs, but they lived in a small town far away from cities and hospitals. At his one month check-up, he was diagnosed with congenital malformation of the spinal cord, hydrocephalus, low weight, fetal growth delay, and respiratory syndrome. At one of his following check-ups, the doctor sent Mell to the hospital due to a high fever and inflammation of the brain. Sadly, though they had tried, his parents recognized that they did not have the means of caring for him in the ways he needed, both due to finances and distance from necessary medical care, and they asked Protective Services to care for him. No other family members were able to provide the care he needed as well. Mell was placed in a foster home and is doing well.

Mell has been receiving various types of therapies which have been valuable in his development. When meeting adults for the first time, he becomes shy, but he recognizes familiar people and loves to interact with them. Mell identifies the emotions on people´s faces and interacts accordingly. He is a very expressive child who shows affection in various ways, and sometimes gets jealous when his foster mother gives affection to the other children. According to the professionals who care for him, Mell has the language development of a 12-month toddler. He communicates through crying and screaming and can say some short words such as “mama” and “papa.” He also imitates animal sounds, such as those of a dog or cat. He responds to simple instructions such “Take this” and “Give me that.” Mell identifies different body parts, plays with Play-Dough, and performs other activities that strengthen his fine motor skills. His movements are spontaneous despite the limitations he has in his lower limbs.  Due to his chronological age, Mell requires support, supervision, and guidance to fulfill his daily routines. Mell takes two naps during the day and sleeps throughout the night. He wears diapers all day.

Mell likes to interact with peers or adults and loves to spend time outside. He gets excited when he hears a motorcycle engine as he immediately thinks he is going to go out and gets anxious. He gets upset when his diaper is dirty and when he is not allowed to go out. Mell gets happy with simple things, and he likes to laugh a lot. Mell loves to drink sweet juices. Due to his medical condition, he does not wear shoes but wears very soft socks. He enjoys it when adults help him to kick the ball to play soccer. Mell also likes to play with cars and airplanes.

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There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Ariana’s adoption. Additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.  If you are interested in reviewing Ariana’s file or in adopting Ariana, please contact the agency for additional information.

Hans was born to a young teenage girl who, tragically, had already given birth to a child at a very young age. Due to her chronological age and emotional immaturity the mother was not able to fully understand her responsibility, and despite the support of her family, the bond between Hans and his mother was not positive. After Protection Services became involved, it was evident that the biological mother and her family were not able to take care of the child due to his special needs, economic struggles and already caring for Hans’s older sibling. He, therefore, came into care at the age of 3 years old. There is no information about the biological father.

Hans is not enrolled in school due to his medical diagnoses. Hans loves to receive affection, and he responds through smiles. He is totally dependent on others to fulfill his daily routines. He communicates through guttural sounds, screams or by crying. Hans cries whenever his diaper is dirty. Hans´s gross and fine motor skills are not developed. The child cannot hold his head up, and he cannot crawl or walk. He has some body movements, and the foster mother has received training on how to stimulate his motor development. He does not like to be held and prefers when people change his body position without holding him for too long. Due to Hans’s medical diagnosis, he has a severe cognitive delay and is not able to interact with other children. Hans receives occupational, physical and speech therapy. Hans takes daily medication.

Hans likes to listen to soft music. He needs a family who can always take care of him due to the severity of his condition.

Ivan has a moderate mental delay with hearing loss in one ear. He also has scoliosis of the spine. He can walk, run, climb and descend stairs alone. Ivan does not speak however he enjoys watching children’s movies. He prefers to play alone. He can feed himself and drinks from a cup. The staff is working on potty training with him.

The agency has a video of Ivan, from Feb 2024.

Update 8/2024

Ivan was born in 2016 and resides in a family-type accommodation center for children. He is a child of Roma origin. The parents consented to full adoption, due to the
inability to care for him. Diagnoses include moderate mental retardation, behavioral disorder, expressive speech disorder with hearing impairment – unilateral conductive hearing loss in one ear. Normal hearing with the other. Scoliosis. He has normal physical development for his age and is in good health. He walks independently, with an unsteady gait, goes up and down stairs alone, runs. Fine motor skills are poorly developed – knows how to match elements, string figures on a rope with help. He feeds himself, holds a pencil with his whole palm and scribbles on the paper, does not know how to draw, does not know how to color, does not know colors, does not know how to cut with a knife, does not arrange a constructor and a puzzle.

He rarely responds to his name. Positive emotion is expressed through a smile. When he is cheerful, he laughs loudly. He shows stubbornness and impatience but does not show
aggression or auto-aggression. He has no developed speech. He understands what is being said to him, recognizes the tone. Feelings are expressed through whining, crying, laughing. No expression of interest in anything specific is observed. He watches children’s movies. He loves attention from an adult. Does not play with peers. Eye contact is not complete. He likes to be hugged. He likes strollers, tries to play with them, prefers to hold them in his hand. Chase and kick a ball. Loves light up toys. He likes to spend time outdoors. During the academic year 2024-2025, he will be in 1st grade with an independent form of education.

He has a peaceful sleep. He knows how to feed himself; he knows how to drink from a cup, he does not know how to dress and undress himself, put on and take off his shoes by himself, but he must be asked. He does his physiological needs in the toilet or potty after prompting, he does not use a diaper.

Nate was born prematurely at 27 weeks gestation and was hospitalized for two months. After living with his mother for two months, he came into protective care at 4 months old after his mother abandoned him in the care of a neighbor. Initially she visited him occasionally, but the last visit was in 2022. Nate lives with a foster family.

Nate has unidentified cerebral palsy, but it doesn’t hold him down! While at 8- months-old he showed significant delays in neuro-psychomotor development, today he has shown significant development. He is being monitored a team of specialists including a neuro-pediatrician, orthopedist, physiotherapist, psychologist, speech therapist and nutritionist, in addition to receiving specialized educational care. Nate can now move around with some independence and is in the process of adapting to the use of an orthotic equipment, which may help his locomotion. According to the physiotherapist’s report, Natey crawls, sits in a W position with balance, stands with support and walks sideways. He has the potential to use a walker for home distances and a wheelchair for community distances.

Socially, Nate is an extroverted child who loves to participate in activities and communicate. He can focus on activities. He understands what is asked of him and responds coherently within his ability. He demonstrates caring and affection with other children and adults. He is observant to what is going on around him. Nate lives in a house where there are children younger than him and this fact limits his social interactions, which has significantly compromised his progress.

It is believed that Nate has great potential for development, as long as there is proper stimulation. The possibility of starting family life through adoption at this time is considered extremely important for the progress of the child’s physical, social and cognitive development.

Please meet this cute boy named Bowie.  He was diagnosed with congenital cataracts in both eyes.   However he underwent surgical treatment with implantation of intraocular lenses. There is suspected Glaucoma.  He is also diagnosed with Children’s cerebral palsy – Quadri pyramidal syndrome. Grand mal seizures with or without petit mal seizures.

Bowie can sit up independently from a lying position. He can stand up by holding on to various objects. He walks independently but it is uncoordinated. The child lags in neuropsychological development. He accepts bodily closeness with pleasure.  It is pleasant for him to be held by an adult. The presence of children in his immediate space does not bother him, but he does not show interest in them and does not initiate interaction. He is soothed by riding in a pram or listening to favorite children’s songs.  He prefers the environment to be quiet.  He becomes nervous and anxious around loud noise.  He is entirely dependent on the care of an adult.

SN:  Moderate intellectual disability, Asperger’s syndrome, sensory hypersensitivity

Maeve is a six year old girl with moderate intellectual disability and Asperger’s syndrome. She attends a kindergarten where she receives therapy for movement, speech, and autism. She had disorders in speech, balance, and coordination. She gets anxious when on unstable ground. She has been making tremendous improvement lately. Maeve struggles with sensory hypersensitivity. She is capable of building relationships with her peers and caregivers.

Despite being able to communicate verbally, her speech used to be unclear, but lately it has improved tremendously. Recently, she has become more and more independent. Maeve stands out from the rest of the children at the orphanage.