Other Special Needs

Ian is a ton of fun! He loves music- always requesting his favorite songs on the speaker so he can sing along! He is a wheelchair user that is working on self propelling- he is such a hard worker. He does have some visual impairment in one eye, but his hearing has made up for this impairment…he can hear your voice from rooms away and call for you! He loves spending time with his friends, enjoying his favorite foods, and taking trips to the local market to get some yummy street food! He would greatly benefit from a loving family because he is such a relational boy!

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.

Bianca was recently transferred from a large orphanage to a small group home. She’s been making developmental progress in her new home. She can pull to a stand in her crib and cruise along the rail. She will take steps when holding the hands of a caregiver. She reaches for toys and will hold and explore them.

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.

The caregivers describe Jayne as a very sensitive child who needs a lot of attention and encouragement. There is a recent positive change in her development – she can plays with toys, willingly participates in the games and other activities, she can learn songs and can speak simple but logical sentences. Her speech is delayed and motor skills needs improvements. She walks independently. She can eat without help but still required assistance with self-care things.

Kaylee resides at the foster family. She is open, energetic and cheerful child who is curious about the world, eager to learn and makes friends easily. She attends preschool since September 2023. She is physically active girl; she can run and jump, can throw and kick a ball, she can climb. She can do many things without any help (eat, dress/undress).  She is very polite and there are no concerns with her behavior. Her vocabulary is growing, and she is catching up with her development.

Date of the report: 7/3/2024

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.

Information in this report is from February 2024.

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.

Lily (6) is also described as friendly and one who likes to help others. She has delays in her fine motor skills, though improving, and her speech development. She is receiving therapy for both. Lily is a hyperactive child who has recently started taking medication and it seems to be helping, especially with her night movements which have included head banging which has significantly decreased. She lives to sing and dance as well as draw.

Pia (5) is described as a friendly, kind-hearted and playful child who expresses her emotions readily. However, while she shares her emotions readily, sometimes she has difficulty controlling her emotions and is in therapy to assist her with this—yet it is reported that temper tantrums are not frequent and she is able to regain emotional regulation quickly. She has age appropriate gross and fine motor skills as well as speech development. She loves to sing and dance.

The girls are listed for adoption together. Their older sister, Winnie, is also available for adoption (but separately).  The agency is hoping to find two families, so the girls can maintain contact.

Winnie is described as a cheerful and friendly girl who enjoys interacting with people. Unfortunately, Winnie has had too many placements for her young age and it is believe this has affected her development in various areas. With therapy, Winnie now has age-appropriate gross and fine motor skills and has improved SIGNIFICANTLY in speech development. While her IQ was assessed to be 82, she is showing steady improvement in her academic studies.  She has had some behavioral struggles, but since starting a new primary school in September, she is exhibiting the ability to stay calm and control her emotions and behaviors with guidance. Winnie enjoys arts and crafts, and she is very excited at the prospect of finding a family.

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 resides in a professional foster family. She has a congenital absence of her right forearm. Nilo is educated according to the Individual Study Plans of Students with a lower degree of complexity than the educational minimum for the calendar age, tailored to her individual needs. At a moderate pace, with individual help and guidance from the
teacher, she acquires knowledge, skills and competences foreseen in the individual curriculum for each subject of the individual curriculum. The girl distinguishes between the categories of good and bad, she knows generally accepted rules of behavior in social communication. She defines and expresses own desires and needs in words.

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.

Info from March 2024:

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.

Ariana is a young girl waiting for a loving family of her own.

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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.

Information in this report is from November 2024

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.

Someone who met Ivan recently said he is an “extremely active, agile and very cute boy who loves attention as well as cuddles.” Ivan seems very happy and smiles a lot. He is said to have age-appropriate physical development.

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.

Information in this report is from Summer 2024:

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.

Liam works with a physical therapist every day. The PT also acts as a primary caregiver most days and is the adult that Liam is the most familiar with in the orphanage. Liam has recently gained head control and can now lift and hold up his head when on his stomach. He reaches for toys and other desired objects. He attends to toys and electronics (will focus on a video on a phone). He rolls to try to get to toys on a mat. He is very attentive to his environment. He drinks from a bottle and eats pureed foods from a spoon. He prefers fruit puree and other sweeter flavored foods. A team member who visited him said, “He is a lovable little guy who shows lots of potential and ability for emotional attachment.”

A male child with age-appropriate physical and neuropsychic development. Attended irregular school, with unlearned elementary school skills and knowledge. With aggressive manifestations upon minor provocations. Intellectual level – borderline low IQ.

Mia is a cheerful and smiley girl. She has been diagnosed with spastic diplegia, severe mental grade intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with no current medication needed. She is currently taking sleeping and vitamin supplements. Mia has divergent squint, hypertropia and astigmatism. She is recommended to wear glasses but she shows resistance as she does not like anything to be put on her face or head. Nevertheless, her vision seems not to be affected significantly during classes. Mia was assessed to have severe gross motor delay with dystonia but her walking was commented to become more stable.

Mia is currently attending a special school children with severe intellectual disability and multiple disabilities. She has made steady progress in her development and shown an interest in interacting with adults and peers. She is well loved by her school teachers and caregivers and is one of the brightest students in her special school. She enjoys listening  to children’s songs, playing with spinning and musical toys, watching cartoons, playing with the swing during leisure time. Regarding her self-care skills, Mia needs assistance in teeth brushing and washing up and she does not like these tasks. She wears diapers all day long. She receives regular potty training and can urinate on the potty occasionally. She needs assistance in dressing but is able to take off her clothes, shoes and AFOs. She is also learning to put on her shirt when being prompted.  She sits in a chair with a safety belt when her caregiver helps her to take a shower.

Liam was born December 2011. He was found to have multiple health and development issues, including a history of Infantile Spasm, left temporal arachnoid cyst, severe low vision, and moderate to severe grade mental retardation. He received training from different therapists and maintained steady improvement all along. Although he has a history of Infantile Spasm, he has a stable health condition with no records of any epileptic attacks since his admission to the present school. Due to his parents’ inability to take care of him, he was placed in a orphanage at the age of 3.

Liam is observed to be a lovely, easygoing, and well-behaved child, who is well loved by his teachers and caregivers. He is described as a happy child with stable emotions, and expresses enjoyment through his lovely smile which is heart-melting. He enjoys one-on-one interaction with his main caregiver.

Hope is a bright, assertive, and courageous girl with many endearing qualities and undiscovered traits. She is highly active and enjoys a range of sports activities, including running, swimming, and hiking. In her spare time, she loves engaging in craft work like origami. Her recent obsession with Sudoku has highlighted her strong logical thinking skills.

Despite facing challenges such as eczema, ADHD, and ODD, Hope is managing with her prescribed care routine. She thrives better with individual attention and consistent, firm, yet gentle care. She has shown significant improvement since being moved from an orphanage to her current foster home where she is adhering to rules and routines, and slowly learning how to live in a family atmosphere.

Hope was previously approved for adoption overseas. However, due to concerns the family had regarding her psychological/mental health once in-country, they withdrew their petition to adopt. A further report about Hope’s emotional development and readiness for adoption after the previous withdrawal will be ready by September.

Now, Hope is seeking a loving family who can provide the consistent, gentle care she needs to flourish. Hope’s institutional upbringing has shaped her attachment and emotional needs, but with the right support, she has the potential to thrive in a family environment. Given that adoptions from her country take approximately two years to complete, while Hope is entering her pre-teen years now it is important to realize she will be a teenager when adopted.  Interested families need to be willing to learn and be well aware of the challenges of adopting an older child so her family will have the capacity to support her emotional and behavioral needs. It is also recommended that the family be well-equipped with trauma-informed care and understand issues related to delayed adolescence and the impact of long-term institutionalization. This includes understanding family roles, including those of a father and mother, and sibling relationships.

CHI has given this child the pseudo name Hope because we and her social service staff in HK believe that with the right family who understands her past and can provide her with and affection with proper rules and routines, Hope can overcome her difficult past and achieve great things. We look forward to finding a family that can offer her the stability and care she deserves. CHI has past child studies to provide to seriously interested families.

 

Pah is a lovely little 4-year-old boy in need of a permanent home. He has been with his foster family since he a little baby. He is bonded to his foster family as well as another foster child in the home who is 3 months younger than him.

Pah currently is in good normal health. However, when Pah was 22 days old he showed peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, small patent foramen ovale (PFO), and secundum atrial septic defect 1.5 mm. On the follow-up echocardiogram in April 2022, the results showed normal heart anatomy and function. As of his August 2024 child checkup, his hearing and vision were reported to be normal. While Pah’s physical health remains good, he has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in August 2023, for which he attends Child and Adolescent Psychiatry therapy. During the same evaluation, he was assessed to have a mild delay in gross motor skills as well as a mild delay in oral language. He had been previously diagnosed in 2022 with Borderline Developmental Delay. As observed, he can speak clearly, except that he may mispronounce some words.  He is able to hold conversations with adults and express his needs and feelings in sentences.  He can also follow instructions. Pah receives speech therapy about 2 times per month, and physiotherapy and occupational therapy 3-4 times per year at school. Pah can walk and run confidently.  He can jump forward 12inches with both feet, stand on one leg, walk upstairs and downstairs with alternative feet by holding onto the handrail, throw and catch a ball, and kick a ball forward 5 feet away. He can also climb up the rope net.  In terms of fine motor skills, Pah can build a tower of 9 blocks, remove bottle caps, hold a pen to draw, turn pages one by one, and thread beads.

Pah is described as a happy, outgoing but also stubborn child who has shown improvements in his emotional expression. He has become more accepting of reasoning as he gets older. Due to his ASD features, Pah has a set way of doing things. He also tends to cry easily over trivial things such as when he cannot find a toy or complete a task on his own. Pah shares a normal relationship with the other foster child in the home. They have typical sibling-like rivalries and will sometimes fight over toys. He shares a close relationship with the foster mother and accepts her guidance and follows her instructions. Overall, Pah is generally an easy child to take care of. He is well-behaved and manageable most of the time except that he tends to cry easily and can also be quite stubborn at times.

Pah performs well in his self-care tasks. Being able to drink from a cup and a straw, he can feed himself with spoon and a fork. He can wash and dry his hands with a towel; put on and take off his clothes, shoes and socks; brush his teeth and wash his face. He has finished toilet training and does not need to wear diapers. He can go to the toilet by himself. He only needs assistance in bathing, washing his hair and cleaning after a bowel movement.

Pah is attending pre-kindergarten at a nursery school.  As described by the teacher, Pah has some close friends at school and enjoys a satisfactory relationship with his teachers. He can follow school rules and routines.  Being attentive in class, he enjoys participating indifferent activities.  As described, Pah is sometimes sensitive to the teacher’s reminders and sometimes is emotional about this. Pah knows lots of colors, shapes, fruits, animals, food and body parts. He also knows some concepts such as “big-small,” “up-down,” etc. He can recite the numbers from 1 to 50 and recognize some letters and numbers. He can tell others his name and age.

Families with a home study prepared for any international country can submit for consideration of Pah. The agency program specialist can explain the child/family matching process in his country.

Sophie is a gentle, cheerful, and agreeable 8-year-old girl. She loves listening to music and is attracted to various sensory toys and materials. When her caregivers and teachers play music, she becomes attentive and smiles. Sophie has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy with multiple medical conditions. She requires daily medications and intensive medical follow-up in various specialties. She needs support and assistance with mobility and daily living activities. In the face of her challenges, Sophie works hard to participate in different training sessions and therapies including physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Sophie loves people. She can be easily comforted by hugging, gentle stroke, and comforting words. Sophie expresses herself nonverbally. She nods or smiles when she likes something, and pouts or frowns when she does not. She joyously participates in the activities the caregivers and teachers give her such as sunbathing outside and sensory activities. Her caregivers and teachers report that she is easy to care for and manage because of her calm nature and generally stable health condition. She also adjusts to changes quickly and easily.

It is believed Sophie will continue to make progress in reaching her potential within a loving and caring family. Due to the unique child/family matching system in her country, a family with a current home study for any country can submit to be considered to become her family.

The boys lived with their birth family until they were 22 months old. They were removed from the birth family and placed in foster care at that time.

Adam has been diagnosed with an intellectual delay, but he continues to make progress in all aspects of his development and learn new skills. His gross motor skills are developmentally appropriate for his age. He can walk, run, climb, etc. His fine motor skills are slightly delayed. He nests nesting boards according to the principle trial and error. He can build a tower with 10 blocks. He can draw a circle but he can’t draw an emoticon. He can string and sort small figures. He cuts with scissors, forms worms out of playdoh and cuts them. He currently cannot copy shapes and letters according to a pattern. His attention span when working on tasks continues to increase. He has a well-developed visual memory. He will imitate gestures and movements. He can group objects by color and shape, but cannot currently identify colors and shapes by name. He understands what is said to him and can follow one step directions. He has pretend play skills. He can easily navigate in familiar environments. His speech is still developing. He can say some simple words and attempts to communicate using gestures. He is currently attending preschool, and has adjusted well to this environment. He participates in group activities and plays with the other children. He enjoys playing with playdough and participating in music and games. He helps clean up after activities. His self-help skills are developing. He is toilet trained. He is working with specialists to continue to develop his skills.

Vinny has been diagnosed with childhood Autism, but continues to make progress and learn new skills. He can walk, run, climb, throw and kick a ball. He can build a tower with 10 cubes, he strings and sorts small figures. He cuts with scissors and he tries to cut along a drawn line. He has difficulties doing puzzles. He has difficulty concentrating during certain tasks. He is more focused and attentive during activities related to language educational games and modelling with playdoh. He has a strongly pronounced mechanical memory. He has difficulties making the relation between a symbol and a word. He compares objects by color and shape but does not recognize or name them. He understands single-step commands. He participates in role games (he puts a doll to bed and tucks her in). When he sees pictures with objects from everyday life (a broom, glass, spoon) he shows the activities that he performs with them. His speech is delayed (he says very few words), but he attempts to communicate using gestures. He demonstrates attachment to his caregivers and gets along with other children at preschool. He enjoys playing with playdough and educational cards. His self-help skills are developing. He is toilet trained. He is working with specialists to continue to develop his skills.

Jordy and Mike are ready for a family.  Agency staff who met them said, “they are clinically healthy and very well behaved and raised children. They are doing great at school on many subjects which is rare in general for abandoned children. The fact that they have been raised in foster care by a nice family, is definitely helping them.”

Please consider bringing these boys into your family for the New Year.  The agency has a lot more photos and information and videos to see these great boys!  A specific adoption agency has grant funding in the amount of $2500 available.

Her caregiver described her as cheerful and happy girl. She has no issues with trust, open to new people and likes to cuddle. She is curious about her surrounding and asks a lot of questions.

She doesn’t always listen what is said to her and has some difficulties with rules and directions. She can be stubborn and needs help with her emotion’s regulation. She started pre-school in September 2024. She loses an interest quickly and has problems to finish her tasks. She enjoys looking at the books, stalking blocks, working with small objects and clay. She likes music and willingly participates in singing activities.  Her vocabulary increased and she learns how to ride a scooter. She likes walking and playing outside.  She still needs help with her physiological needs. She can dress without help and eats independently.

Mina is a beautiful little girl who likes to paint and play “sleepover” with her friends. Mina likes to go to the park and put together puzzles. She also loves to sing and listen to music of all genres, especially tango. Mina enjoys children’s stories and watching her favorite cartoons, which include Masha and the Bear, Puss in Boots, and Blue Shortcuts. Contact the agency to learn more about Mina and her listed medical needs!

The agency staff met lovely Mina in August 2024. She was very talkative and outgoing. She doesn’t allow her special needs to limit her. Mina, born in November of 2016, knows how to start and maintain a conversation. She is very observant and knows how to ask questions and engage in it and the context. She uses very sophisticated words for a seven year old – it was impressive!! She knows how to count in English from one to ten, knows some colors in English, and knows the colors in Spanish. She has a great memory and can remember facts. Mina can easily express her thoughts and ideas.

Mina likes to paint and play “sleepovers” with her friends. Mina likes to go to the park, put together puzzles. She also loves to sing, listen to music of all genres, especially tango. Mina enjoys children’s stories and watching her favorite cartoons (Masha and the Bear, Puss in Boots, Blue Shortcuts).

VIDEOS:
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Password: Adoptmaa

Mina also has a $500 agency fee reduction, with a specific adoption agency.

We are so happy to have permission to share Dallas’s pictures!  There are also several videos of him available with the agency, as well!

Dallas enjoys going to the park and eating ice cream. He lives with a foster family. Dallas likes to spend time with his foster family. He likes affection from people who are close to him.  Dallas has been part of the summer hosting program- don’t miss all his videos!

JULY 2023 Hosting Update: Dallas is a calm, lovely, and talkative boy. He loves to learn new things and talk about different topics. His favorite activities are talking, playing board games, and playing soccer. Although sometimes it is difficult to keep his attention, he perseveres to achieve his goals and learn. He has a leisurely soul and a more incredible spirit. He also is cautious about trying new things that involve risk. In him is a big desire to find a family forever. He is very respectful and helpful in the household chores. He cares about the well-being of the people he loves.  The adoption agency program director said he is AWESOME and she’d bring him home herself if she had the room! Contact us to learn more about Dallas and his listed non-medical need!

There is a $4500 agency fee reduction for Dallas’ adoption with the listing adoption agency. Additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Dallas now has an additional $2,500 grant through Children Need Families; the listing adoption agency will allocate this grant.

Martin was born in 2018; he is a curious and playful kid.  He likes playing outside and loves to eat hot dogs and to drink fresh juice.  Martin has mild developmental delays and attends a regular school.

 

Older brother Rafael (born in 2014), likes being outside and jumping on the trampoline.  He loves chicken, rice, and cake.  Rafael has developmental delays and is currently attending a special education school.

Information in this report is from March 2024

Cheyenne, 12, came into care in 2020 when her mother left her with a woman and it became clear that she was not returning. In the child investigation, it was discovered that Cheyenne had been the victim of abuse by both a non-family member when she was young and a minor relative though there is not much information regarding the later situation. Due to being moved around so much and the chaotic environment of the biological family, Cheyenne was not consistently enrolled in school which has affected her cognitive development.  Cheyenne is now enrolled in school, and she is in 4th grade where she is respectful, responsible, and motivated at school. In 2023, she was given an IQ test and scored 63, which led to a diagnosis of mild cognitive delay.  At the age of 11 when the test was performed, it was estimated that she had the cognitive development and maturation of a 7-year-old.  She goes to cognitive therapy to overcome her diagnosis of mild cognitive delay due to the family environment she grew up in.

Cheyenne has adjusted well to her foster family and being in a positive family environment. For example, while she likely did not attend religious services in the past, she enthusiastically attends Catholic services with her foster family and participates in spiritual activities such as praying the rosary with the family. Her foster family has helped her work on her social development, interaction with others, taking responsibility for her actions in a positive way, etc. It is noted that Cheyenne had a habit of lying to avoid negative consequences; however, great improvements were made in this area. While she still gets anxious when confronted about any inappropriate behaviors, Cheyenne is no longer afraid to accept the consequences of her actions. It is upsetting to her when someone lies about her. She is cooperative and strives to be obedient, and she is getting better at managing her emotions, impulses, and frustrations. She gets sad when others positively talk about their biological families, and she just wants to find her forever family. She is afraid of feeling alone.

Cheyenne is very affectionate and sweet. She is friendly and has wonderful skills to be a leader inside and outside her foster home. Cheyenne interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. Cheyenne is quiet and feels good when she finishes the tasks assigned to her. She is independent and fulfills her daily routines on her own.

Cheyenne enjoys participating in recreational or playful activities with her peers. She especially likes riding her bicycle and playing soccer. She also likes to draw and dance. Cheyenne loves to eat spaghetti, rice with chicken, and oatmeal, but she does not like to eat broccoli. Cheyenne has stated that she would love to become a Chef to express her love through food.

Deacon, born January 2017, is a cheerful and loving little boy, who is often smiling! He interacts well with both children and adults and likes to give and receive hugs and kisses. He enjoys all kinds of play, especially musical activities, and his favorite toys include balls, cars, and blocks. Due to the pandemic he is receiving educational instruction at the orphanage. When he was found at one month old, Deacon was admitted to the hospital immediately due to sepsis. While there he was diagnosed with left club foot, malformative syndrome, and possible spina bifida occulta due to a pit on his sacrum. He began weekly casting for his club foot, then received a tenotomy in April 2017, and wore a harness to keep his feet in correct position. However, he needed casting again in 2020, and then began AFO therapy. Later he was diagnosed with dorsolumbar scoliosis and moderate bilateral hearing loss. Deacon is reported to be moderately delayed for his age, but at four years old has achieved many milestones! He can kick a ball, and go up and down stairs while supervised by an adult. He is able to build with blocks, scribble, shape play-dough, and hold a glass and a spoon to feed himself. He can communicate basic needs through short phrase such as “give me water” and “let’s go” and is reported to speak well. When presented with a picture he can identify elements by name, and recognizes several body parts and animals.

Deacon has seen many specialists, but has not received a conclusive diagnosis tying together his needs yet; they feel the most likely diagnosis is Klippel-Feil syndrome or Jarcho-Levin syndrome, but have also considered arthrogryposis and mucopolysaccharidosis. He needs a family open to his orthopedic needs who will get him the care and treatment he needs as he continues to grow!

Mae is a precious little girl, born in September of 2021.  Agency staff met Mae in August of 2023. She is an adorable little girl! We’ve been told she is doing well in her current care center since our staff visited her. Mae is described as a sweet, affectionate, and cheerful young girl. She is always smiling! Mae has managed to adapt to the routines around her required special care. She has made great progress since entering her care center, and she learns quickly through repetition She is a girl who likes to move forward and shows interest in learning new things. It is evident that she manages to bond with her caregivers. Contact us to learn more about Mae and her listed medical needs from her placing agency!

NEW VIDEO:

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Update: 10/24

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mae21

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Password: Adoptmaa

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

Agency staff met Jay in October of 2022. They said they love his smile! Contact the agency to learn more about Jay and his listed medical needs!

There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Jay’s adoption with a specific adoption agency; additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Sally had one seizure at age one. She’s been on seizure medication since that time and has not had any additional seizures. She touches and grabs with her right hand and moves her right foot. The left hand is almost clenched in a fist. Her muscles are very tight, but she can sit up when placed in that position. She will reach and grab toys with her right hand. She tracks objects that are moving in front of her face. She laughs when adults interact with her. She makes sounds and produces syllabes when imitating someone. She enjoys musical toys and will scoot to get to a toy that is near her when on the floor. She is fed by an adult and can eat from a spoon.

Information in this report is from March 2023 when Jana was 5. The adoption agency has medical records and pictures for Jana dating back to 2019.

Jana entered care at one year of age due to abandonment and negligence. Within her foster home, it is evident that Jana likes to interact with others. In her own special way, Jana is able to share and receive affection. She communicates with others through body language and eye movements. The foster mother has learned to read her body movements to identify if something is bothering her. Jana responds to stimuli generated through loud voices. Due to her medical diagnoses, she needs constant supervision and guidance to fulfill all her daily routines. Jana´s gross and fine motor development is delayed. Her cognitive development is severely damaged due to her medical diagnoses. She wears diapers all day. Jana spends her days seated in her wheelchair or laying down in her bed when she sleeps. She receives therapy and medication through her gastrostomy.

According to the foster mother, Jana loves to receive massages. She likes when people speak to her in a soft voice. Jana enjoys going outside for short periods.

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.

Information in this report is from July 2024:

Dezi lived with his biological parents and older sibling until he was almost four years old. While his parents tried to take care of him, money was always lacking and ultimately, his parents knew they could not meet Dezi’s healthcare needs. In order for him to get all the help he needs and to have a better life, his parents relinquished him to protective care services in July 2022.

Due to the child´s medical diagnosis, he is not enrolled in school. There were two times were Dezi attended a special school, but his needs were much greater than what the teachers could manage. Dezi´s adjustment to a foster home was challenging but his current foster mother has done a great job with him. He has developed a strong bond with his foster mother and regulates his emotions in accordance with what she is doing or how close she is to him. He is now able to give and receive affection, which is a great achievement, and he even sometimes gets jealous when his foster mother pays attention to the other children. Dezi’s language is almost nonexistent, but he says a few words such as “ma.” He communicates mostly through facial gestures and by pointing at things he wants to grab or do. When Dezi gets upset, he cries and has “tantrums,” throws objects, and lays himself on the floor. Dezi is not comfortable being around people he is not familiar with. If he likes somebody, he will usually pull that person by the arm to start a game. Dezi likes to play with other children for short periods, and he is not aggressive towards them. He gets anxious when he is not familiar with an environment. He gets upset when he is not allowed to do something or eat at different moments throughout the day.

Dezi is very active, he changes from one activity to another in short periods, it is very hard for him to focus his attention on one specific thing. There are no concerns regarding his gross motor development, he is still working on his fine motor skills. He needs guidance and support to fulfill his daily routines though there are some activities that he can do on his own, such as eating with no help and dressing up. He sleeps throughout the night without any inconvenience. Dezi does not wear diapers during the day as he can go to the bathroom alone but needs help to clean himself up; he wears diapers during the night. He does not like animals.

Dezi’s favorite show is Paw Patrol. He gets happy when he gets new toys, especially cars even though toys do not usually last a long time because he plays roughly with them. He likes to wear clothes with Superman logos or drawings. Dezi has a good appetite and eats every kind of food. He likes to play with water.

(Information below is from March 2023 when Nicolas had just turned 4 years old.)

Nicholas was placed in a foster home when he entered protective care as a newborn due to familial issues. He is now enrolled in pre-k. Due to his complex medical condition, his academic development is limited. Nicholas tries to be independent in some daily activities, such as dressing himself, but for the rest of his care he needs constant supervision, support, and guidance both due to his age, his developmental delay and suspected autism.

Nicholas is a loving and affectionate child toward people he knows and he expresses his love through kisses, hugs, and by clapping. He has a strong need to be near his foster parents and sometimes gets jealous when they are holding another child. He does not like to be around too many people or in places where the noise is too loud. If he is interested in interacting with an adult, he will find a way to call for attention. He communicates through sounds, screams, and some syllables. Sometimes Nicholas gets upset when toys or objects are not organized or placed in the same spot he left them. Nicholas needs an adult to supervise his behavior while he is interacting with other kids, as he needs someone to remind him to behave positively and be patient with others.

Nicholas is constantly moving around and loves to explore his surroundings. He gets easily frustrated when his daily schedule changes. He is very interested in water and on many occasions, he has submerged objects or documents in water. It is reported that his body movements appear to be tough and not well coordinated. He is able to follow simple instructions. He can play with toys and other objects and his fine motor skills are still developing. He spends his time organizing toys and objects by color and size. He is afraid of climbing up and down the stairs. Nicholas still wears diapers but is currently being potty-trained. He goes to bed around 10:00 pm and wakes up at 6:30 am. It is important to give him his medication in the evenings before bedtime. Nicholas loves to listen to music, eat, and explore cell phones.