Other Special Needs

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:

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mae20

 

Update: 10/24

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

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mae22

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mae23

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mae24

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mae25

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mae026

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.

Two sisters in Mexico who have a close bond. They are described as healthy, calm, do well in school, have no behavior issues and have been out of their family’s care since 2019.

The older sister tends to be self conscious and shy when meeting new people or in new environments. The younger sister is described as extroverted and participative and needs some academic support.

Theodore was born prematurely at 25 weeks; he will need ongoing support from doctors as he continues his development.

He is described as being very cheerful, curious, positive, interested in everything, expresses positive emotions and smiles a lot and responds when spoken to. He listens attentively to adults and can distinguish between a stern and pleasant tone of an adult. Makes single sounds, says words and waves his hand to those leaving. When asked, shows where his nose, eyes and mouth are, claps his hands.  He is eager to play with toys for his age and likes toys that make different sounds. The boy is very affectionate and very active. Since March of this year, he has learned to walk independently using a walker. He needs to wear orthopedic footwear at all times. He walks short distances, has an irregular gait, and staggers. He eats a wide variety of food and has no allergies. The child eats on his own, is learning to sit on a potty and is a good sleeper. He can’t hear in one ear as it is undeveloped so he wears a hearing aid and attends checkup appointments for his hearing. He responds when called by name. He enjoys kindergarten and being around other children. He completed a rehabilitation program in 2023 that was very effective and has shown positive changes in his development.

Everett resides in a center for children. He is a healthy, good-looking boy who has autism with severe delays in intellectual functioning. He makes sounds but has no speech skills. He shows stereotypical mannerisms of rocking, hand fluttering, and hyperactivity. He plays by himself and does not interact with others. He seldom reacts to his name. Sometimes he self-harms or shows frustration. He does not sustain attention for very long. He needs assistance in feeding, clothing and self-care. He needs close attention. He needs a loving family.

Videos are available.

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

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

Jordan is an affectionate little guy with a beautiful smile and bright eyes. He loves attention. Jordan also likes to spend time in his walker and being massaged.

Contact the adoption agency to learn more about Jordan and his special needs! We sure hope someone brings this cutie pie home while he’s still so little!

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

Sal and Monty are eager to go to a family as soon as possible! These brothers from Latin America are currently 8 and 7 years old.

Sal and Monty came into care in late 2020 after their teacher reported noticing repeated physical injuries with one of the children. At that time, protective services investigated and found that the children living with their mother who had previously lost custody of them due to abuse when Sal was only a year old.

Sal

Sal is currently 8 years old. He is predominantly affectionate, sociable, and respectful. He likes to play and interact a lot, and he is very interested in learning new things and being accepted by his peers. He shows autonomy and confidence to perform routine activities by himself, and he only asks for help for the things he cannot manage. He is well bonded with his younger brother. He expresses affection toward Monty, plays with him, and is attentive to his well-being. Sal is currently enrolled in a Montessori school and is in the 3rd grade. He continues to work on following the rules and order within the environment. Sal has a tendency to downplay incidents where other children have been aggressive or abusive toward him, and he often does not report such incidents to adults. He tends to normalize these types of negative rough or violent interactions and does not remove himself from the situation. However, the caregivers have been working with him on this situation and he is improving as well as learning measures on how to protect himself from any abusive situation.

Sal has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for which he is taking medication. He suffers from atopic dermatitis, has dry skin on his cheeks, currently treated with symptomatic management with the use of moisturizing creams. The child has compound hypermetropic astigmatism and currently wears glasses.  He also has a low weight and height for his age.

Monty

Monty is 7 years old little boy who is described as kind, giggly, and playful. Monty is also enrolled in the Montessori school with his brother and he is in the 2nd grade. At school, he is polite and cordial as he is at home, establishing effective bonds with his classmates and guides. He has a stable mood and is affectionate with his caregivers and most people at the foundation where he lives. He is also able to communicate things that bother him and stand up for himself. He has a good relationship with his older brother Sal, trusts him, and likes to be taken care of by him. His favorite activities are playing soccer with his brother, drawing, and playing video games. His favorite characters are Hulk and Spiderman.

Monty was evaluated by neurology after presenting motor coordination with lag and decreased strength in his lower limbs. A decrease in the strength of both legs with frequent falls was identified, with no apparent alterations in sensitivity. Sensory and motor neuro conduction velocity studies and electromyography of bilateral tibial and peroneal nerves were performed, resulting in a diagnosis of severe sensory-motor polyneuropathy for which he requires follow-up by neurology and rehabilitation (to read about this condition, visit this site:  Sensorimotor polyneuropathy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. He has also been diagnosed with mixed astigmatism and low weight/height for his age.

Jeremiah is a young child who finds great joy in the simple pleasures of childhood. He delights in playing with his toy cars and balls, rolling them across the floor and watching them zip and zoom. Jeremiah also loves to watch the adventures of the Paw Patrol pups, their heroic rescues and amusing antics, capturing his attention whenever the show is on. On weekends, Jeremiah’s foster parents take him and the other children to the local park, where he eagerly explores the playground equipment. The tall, twisting slide is a particular favorite, Jeremiah giggling with glee as he slides down its smooth surface. For unfamiliar structures at the park, Jeremiah first observes cautiously before mustering the courage to join in the fun. His natural curiosity and sociability allow him to seamlessly integrate with any groups of children he encounters. At home, Jeremiah cherishes the playtime he shares with his foster brother. However, Jeremiah maintains a wary distance from household pets, becoming physically tense and nervous if a cat or dog ventures too close. He prefers to watch them from behind the safety of his foster parents. Still learning self-care, Jeremiah diligently works on tasks like brushing his teeth, washing his face, and dressing himself, though he relies on the gentle guidance of his foster mother. Although he is not afraid of strangers, Jeremiah warms up to new people after observing them for a while. His stable, sunny disposition and affectionate nature shines through as he cuddles happily in the arms of his foster mother. Though easily distracted, Jeremiah remains engaged with the world around him, his keen curiosity evident in everything he does.

 

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

VIDEOS:

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

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

Please meet George & Miles! These brothers must be adopted together, and both are said to want to be adopted together.

George was born in 2013 and is said to have well developed general and fine motor skills. George is emotionally stable and has good social contact with other children in the school. He does need resource help in school. He has friends and shows respect for adults. He has established habits for independence in dressing, eating and sleeping.

Miles was born in 2012. Miles is diagnosed with deformed feet. He also has some contracture of the fingers in both hands. He has congenital syphilis however he has no clinical symptoms and is not contagious. Miles moves independently but walks on his toes. He also has contractures of his upper and lower limbs. He feels pain with prolonged loading of the musculoskeletal system. However he continues to be energetic and happily runs, jumps and plays with other children. Miles shows affection to adults. He is curious and shows interest an interest in everything. He does need resource help in school. He enjoys being involved in outdoor games with other children.

The adoption agency has very recent videos available of the boys.

Natasha is a pretty little girl, with very calm with big eyes and beautiful white teeth. She is very special. She doesn’t smile at everyone. She must first know you, and trust you, but her smile is fascinating. She loves to drink juice and she likes to eat sweets. She really likes music. She likes to be pampered by her foster family and only cries if she needs a little attention.

In therapy, she works on ways to improve her functional mobility, and increase the functional use of her arms. At school, she does a lot of sensory activities to work on ways to respond and communicate better and fixate her eyes on objects to learn.

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

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

SN: FAS, motor aphasia, celiac disease, hyperopia

 

This girl is much loved by her caregiver and peers! She lived with her biological family for 2 years and was neglected. After a few years in the foster family, she was placed to the orphanage where she adjusted well.  She established a positive relationship with others. She likes to cuddle and is seeking the contact with adults. She is a little bit behind for her age, but she is a smart girl with a lot of potential. She is attending a regular school and her teachers like her.

Introducing Kellet! Kellet is a medically healthy 6-year-old boy who is active and very curious about new people and environments. He likes playing with younger children and is able to interact and share toys with peers. Kellet likes adventures and challenges and takes initiative to play with others. He has age-appropriate gross and fine motor skills; he can pour water without spilling, draw meaningful pictures, run and climb stairs without rails for support, throw and catch a ball, and much more! He also has good verbal expressions and age-appropriate language development. He can count from 1 to over 100! Kellet can also engage in back-and-forth conversation and tell a story by looking at pictures. He sleeps deeply at night and eats the same food as adults for three meals a day. We hear that Kellet has good focus at school and can follow class progress and teachers’ instructions.

Update May 2022:

Kellet was seen as a part of virtual SuperKids in February 2022.  Kellet recently turned 7!  Kellet is in first grade and his favorite subject is Math!  He is doing well in school and enjoys his friend group.  His social worker shares that she is impressed by his patience and involvement with activities during their time together.

Kellet shows his imagination through art and storytelling as he recently drew a picture for his best friend, who is a mermaid and lives in the sea!  Kellet expressed a desire to also be a mermaid, so he can be with her all the time!  How sweet is that?!  Kellet enjoys imaginary play through dress up with peers and enjoys playing with Legos.  Kellet is enthusiastic about life, playing games, and has a high level of attentiveness.  He lives in an area where he is able to hike and run in the outdoors- activities that he appears to enjoy!

Kellet has foster siblings.  When they are available, Kellet enjoys spending time with them.

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

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

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

Sadie has limited movement in her neck, back and hands/arms (due to limited movement of the shoulders). She has more range of motion in her left arm vs her right. She compensates for her limited mobility. She stands on her toes to reach objects (when she cannot extend her arms) and holds on to a support to bend down or she seeks assistance from an adult. She walks, plays with toys, and interacts with her environment. She can put together wooden puzzles, stack rings and perform other basic tasks. She can take the cap off a pen and tries to draw shapes. She interacts with familiar people. She initiates games such as peek-a-boo. She will point to things she wants to communicate her wants/needs. She dances along to music. She can say some simple single syllable words such as ma-ma, but mostly communicates with gestures. She lived in a home with a younger child for a while and did well with the younger child. The foster family limits her interactions with other people, because they are afraid she will get hurt, due to her physical limitations. She plays well with other people, when she is around them. She does not go to preschool due to the fear her foster family has that she will be injured. She shows a preference to certain objects and TV shows (Peppa Pig and Masha the Bear).

Videos from May 2022 show Sadie walking, playing with toys, putting a puzzle together and interacting with adults. The videos show Sadie’s physical limitations.

Esta, Sophie and Luke are waiting for a family in Latin America.

Esta is an affectionate child who loves dance, judo, art and making bracelets. She has a strong bond with her siblings and relates well with her caregivers and peers. She is clinically healthy with good physical and motor development.

Sophie shows leadership skills even at her young age when playing with others. She also participates in judo, ballet and other workshops. She also likes to participate in tours to exhibits, the cinema and theater. he also exhibits a strong bond with her siblings and is well-adapted at the institution she lives in.

Luke is an active little boy who loves to play ball. He is bonded with his siblings and interacts well with those at the institution.

The children have experienced trauma in their past and will need to continue to receive counseling to help through the transition to an adoptive family and to continue to work through their past. They are doing well though as they receive services in country. Esta received corrective surgery for a cleft palate and Luke has myopia and strabismus for which he receives care. Aside from her trauma care, Sara has no known needs. All of the children follow the Christian faith.

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

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

Agency staff met sweet Salvador in July of 2022. Salvador receives physical, occupational, and language therapy weekly. He is doing well with advances in development. He walks, jumps, and climbs the stands. He combines words, counts numbers from 1 to 20, and says about 25 words. Salvador can feed himself with help. Contact the adoption agency to learn more about this sweet boy!

VIDEOS:

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador1
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador2
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador3
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador4
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador5
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador6
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador7
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador8
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-salvador9

Password: Adoptmaa

His diagnoses is Edwards Syndrome including congenital cardiac malformation with large intracardiac defect, cortical blindness, and severe delay in the neuro-psychological development. The August report says the following:

Vincent was extremely calm during the whole visit. He sleeps in a small room, together with three other children with disabilities. He sleeps in a crib. He spends most of his time in his bed, being periodically put in a chaise lounge or in a car basket. He cannot sit upright, either independently, as well as with support. His position in the lounger/car seat is semi-recumbent.

Vincent predominantly uses his right hand and his body is almost constantly turned slightly to the right. He can turn from his back to one side and vice versa, he cannot turn on his stomach. When placed on his stomach, he cannot raise his head. Vincent is basically blind, according to the diagnosis and by a specialist, although the staff has doubts because the child often reacts to light. During my visit, when displaying and attempting to stimulate a reaction with a ball of light, no such reaction was observed.

Vincent showed interest in the new toys and especially in the noisy book which he grabbed with his right hand, held for a while and even waved it with his hand. As the teacher shared, he grabs like a crab, with pincers. The ball turned out to be too big for him to hold in one hand. Although the book was kind of prickly, Vincent did not react in any way, not even by pulling away.

A sharp noise does not startle Vincent, this was also evident from the sharp squealing from the side of the ball. He listens when there is music, and can show a slight liveliness/activity. He does not react to his name. He likes to be paid attention to, to be spoken to gently and to be hugged. He does not mind being touched … even from a stranger. Vincent’s entire care must be provided for by an adult.  He is fed with a tube, being on 5 feedings per day. He doesn’t get angry or protest when changing or bathing. His sleep is peaceful.

From what I saw Vincent would be much better in a family environment. In the “home”,  he mostly spends his time in his bed doing nothing and getting no attention.  Every child deserves attention and love and stimulation. I really hope that this sweet boy will find his forever family soon!

Adrien is a charming and smiley boy. His behavior is very good, he respects the rules in the orphanage. He is interested in learning new things and willingly participate in games and activities. His skills are importing in all spheres. He is willing to play all games proper to his age.

Dillon, 10, entered protective care he was 16 months old due to his mother’s inability to care for him. The grandmother indicated that his mother had mental health issues, but that she had been unable to get her to seek psychiatric care.

Dillon is in the 2nd grade. He is respectful towards his teacher and classmates. It is hard for him to fully understand subjects such as math and language, but improvements have been made in his reading. According to an IQ test, his intelligence is lower than expected for his age. He can stay focused for short periods.

Dillon´s social development has been challenging. During the pandemic he did not interact with other children. He is currently learning to be calm during his interactions and not to become aggressive towards them. Dillon participates in group activities for short periods since he might become aggressive or behave in a bad way. There are days when a situation has triggered Dillon and he then does not want to obey instructions. Dillon gets anxious about loud noises and insects. Sometimes Dillon demands the full attention of his foster mother. While Dillon is very affectionate towards people he is familiar with, he gets anxious and nervous when around unfamiliar people. He gets worried about going out, mainly because he worries about unknown people. Dillon is still learning to manage his impulses and frustrations, and when he is upset he usually hits the walls and screams. It is important to mention that Dillon gets along better with younger children than with his peers. Dillon’s fine psychomotor skills have improved over time. There are no major concerns regarding his gross motor skills; however, due to his diagnosis, he is restless and harms himself sometimes. Dillon is learning to become independent in his daily routines, but he still needs supervision and support. He has good sleep and eating habits. Dillon is still learning to urinary and bowel control, and he often will urinate/defecate outside instead of going to the restroom. He does not take care of his personal belongings and is still learning to have proper hygiene habits.

Going to the park or getting to do errands with his foster mother makes Dillon happy. He likes to play alone, and he has a favorite outfit that he would love to wear every single day.

Report is from August 2024 — Roman, 12, lived with his biological and an older brother until he was 7 years old. At that time, the place where his mother worked burned and she had to leave his brother with that child’s father, and she moved to a different town with Roman. Unfortunately, she could not find a stable job or place to live and she sought assistance from Protective Services. Roman was previously hosted by a family, but that family opted not to adopt him. More information is available.

Roman is in the 4th grade. It has been observed that Roman has great leadership skills, especially at school. Most of his teachers have stated that Roman has a lot of potential but his lack of motivation hinders his progress and development. However, Roman has great skills in math. He recognizes authority figures; he is respectful and obedient towards them. He can follow simple and complex instructions. There are no concerns regarding his motor, language, cognitive and social development.

Roman is an affectionate child after he has built a positive relationship with an adult. He can verbally express his feelings and emotions; however, when there are situations of high emotional demand, he limits the externalization of what he is feeling. Roman is still learning to manage his frustration and impulses, but good improvements have been observed. Roman is shy when meeting people but can easily overcome this behavior once he feels the adult is trustworthy. He interacts in a positive way with adults, peers, younger children, and animals. Roman gets anxious when he does not get what he wants immediately or when something he was expecting does not end up happening. Roman is sad when remembering his biological family, and this connection is part of why the hosting family did not choose to adopt him. Roman is afraid of dark, thunder, rain, and heights. In order to fall asleep, he needs some light or a stuffed animal.

Roman loves it when he gets to go to amusement parks, the movies or the pool. Roman likes to ride his bike, listen to music, and watch TV. He has stated that he would like to improve his drawing skills.

He has a support teacher at school who helps him a lot. Wally has difficulty concentrating and the support teacher works with him to be effective in the classroom. He has excellent grades. He is open, creative, intelligent and talkative boy. He interacts better with adults – for example, on the way to school he will approach a person with the dog and ask about something. Because of the problems when other children, he is recommended to adoption of the family without children at home or single mother.  The boy dreams about family of his own and he feels very lonely, nobody visit him, and he has no place to go for holidays or vacations.

Intelligent, extroverted, spontaneous, resilient, loyal, a dreamer, creative, affectionate, loving, self-efficient, autonomous, astute, brave, perseverant, with a restless mind to learn new things and face new challenges, and with great capabilities. Despite extreme difficulties in life, this is how Sani is described even though being a victim of severe child abuse of various types—including abuse that led to vision loss —could have led him to be otherwise described. Sani came into protective care in 2022 at the age of 7 years old. He is now 9 years old.

Sani is currently enrolled in the 4th grade. According to his teacher´s report, the child is loved by his classmates. He uses his cane to walk around and there are no major concerns regarding his motor, language, cognitive and social development taking into consideration his diagnoses of secondary vision loss and severe child abuse syndrome. He has great communication skills and can verbally expresses his feelings and emotions with people he is very familiar with. Sani recognizes authority figures, but many times has trouble being respectful and obedient, especially if he does not agree with an instruction given by them. Sani can easily make new friends and has leadership skills among his peers.

Sani goes to psychological therapy. He is still learning to take full responsibility for his consequences, and sometimes he lies to avoid any kind of discipline. Sani is learning to manage his impulses and frustration. If there is a situation that he cannot handle emotionally, he will start yelling or behaving in a hostile way with his peers. Whenever he throws a tantrum, he sometimes experiences psychomotor agitation and uses bad language. Whenever there are situations that make him feel anxious, he bites his sleeves, has sweaty hands or has motor restlessness. He gets upset when he needs to continue pushing to do his best in order to fully know the Braille system. He is afraid of being in a dark room alone. Because of his severe history of child abuse, it is recommended that Sani be the youngest child in the family though this may be negotiable depending on a family’s experience with children from abuse. Sani has expressed that he would like a family with two heterosexual parents and he would like to have siblings.

Sani likes to play soccer and enjoys building with Legos and also engaging in conversations with adults. He likes to listen to music in English or Portuguese since he has expressed his desire of learning new languages. Sani favorite colors are blue, white, black and orange. He loves to practice soccer, swimming, martial arts such as capoeira and riding his bicycle. He even likes to breakdance as evidence in a video sent with his profile. Sani is good at playing musical instruments. He would like to become a scientist, learn about biology and astronomy and also speak different languages.

Salvador has resided with a foster family since July 2018.

He was born with low weight and with pathological neonatal period. The child has a
physical development within the lower limit of the norm and mental delay in mild to moderate degree (IQ-41). Phrase speech is not developed, he utters single words; lags behind in the development of habits, skills, emotional and social development.
Uses optical correction due to intermittent heterotropy and astigmatism of the eyes.

The child walks stably and independently. There is delay in the development of the fine motor skills. The emotional status of the child is mostly positive – he is calm and curious. He does not show aggression, he is adaptive. He understands phrasal speech, utters single words, but does not speak. The child is able to play by himself, but he also is looking for the company of other children. Participates in the game process. He feeds himself, his personal hygiene is well-maintained. He controls physiological needs.

Shay lives in a foster home. She was hospitalized to look for a cause for her seizures and was diagnosed with ataxic cerebral palsy. She is currently taking medication for seizures, but still has 1-2 seizures each month. She is able to walk and has good gross motor skills. Her fine motor skills are delayed. Her speech is delayed. She uses single words or short phrases to communicate. She has difficulty focusing, which makes it difficult for her to learn new skills. She is very active and needs constant supervision.

 

Update 9/2024

Shay lives in a foster family and is very close to her foster mom.  She says a lot of words and sentences, but they are in Turkish.  She is extremely mobile and can run, climb on fitness equipment, go up and down stairs and can jump on one leg.  She enjoys playing with dolls and pretending to cook.  She likes nice clothes and likes to look good.  She does not manifest any aggression and in fact is very loving and sweet.  She is also very curious.   A resource teacher works with Shay at school, and she also visits with a psychologist at the Community Support Center. Unfortunately she lives in a very small town with very few other resources.  She really needs the love, attention and resources that only a family can give.

Archer is living in an Eastern European baby home. Short, smiling and calm, Archer’s main diagnosis is atypical childhood autism. He does not speak, but he pronounces sounds and syllables, and he performs stereotypical movements. Archer loves to be alone, and her prefers angles, areas near the window, mirror or door.

Physically well-developed, Archer’s height and weight are normal for his age. He walks by himself, improving his balance. He also climbs, going up and down stairs held by a hand. He can easily open doors.

Archer eats with a spoon, drinks from a cup and goes to sleep by himself. He is not potty trained. Archer makes short-term contacts with the children he knows by touching them with a hand or pulling their clothes gently. He prefers to play with music toys that have buttons, which he pushes to release the music by himself.

The child is calm and rarely cries when he’s upset or protests. Single demonstrations of stereotypical shaking of the head right-left have been observed. He reacts with cheer and liveliness to the presence of familiar adults and accepts their presence and contact; he smiles to tender speech and laughs loud to teases. He likes close physical contact. He is distanced with strangers and is distrustful with them not showing activity in play interactions. His attention is difficult to attract and keep. He has support in his legs. His motor development is at the level turning from back to stomach and vice versa and moving by crawling. He is steady in the walker and makes attempts to move around in it. His grip is palmar and he manipulates for long time with toys put in proximity, with alternation of the hands. He picks up a toy put in proximity, makes attempts to evoke sounds from it or puts it in his mouth. Currently, he plays with toys manipulating with them for a long time. He rarely pronounces syllables or other combinations of sounds.

He readily enters into play interactions with adults. He spontaneously pronounces syllables and other combinations of sounds. He eats well, with appetite. While bathed, he’s calm. His sleep is calm and long. He sucks his thumb while sleeping. He eats blended food from a spoon.

We met Kent for the first time on his 6^th birthday! Since this was his first time meeting us, he was pretty shy. We could tell that he has a close relationship with his foster mother as he looked to her for reassurance and followed her directions. In fact, his foster mother described him as “a little prince”! She said that he is sweet, cuddly, active, and likes attention.

Kent did pretty well on the tasks that we asked him to do, including tossing a ball, standing on one foot, drawing a person and putting 6 step sequencing cards in order. When we asked him if he could add 2 + 3, he responded to the social worker “No, because I don’t speak English!” Okay, smarty-pants, you got us there!

He wasn’t up to answering most of our questions, but he after a while, Bill Porter got up and invited him to play. That’s when we finally saw what I think is the true Kent – he was suddenly full of energy and was clearly having a fun time! Kent is reported to have some developmental delays, and we have information about his time living with his birth family in his profile.

Update: april 2021

Kent’s personality truly shined when we met him in person, but this time he wasn’t as excited to participate in our fun games and activities virtually over Zoom. Kent is a shy boy, but we noticed that more during our recent visit with him. He did however tell us that he can ride a bicycle with only 2 wheels and showed us a dinosaur picture that he drew which was very impressive! Kent enjoys riding his bike and wants to learn how to roller skate next. Kent is friendly with other children at school and has good behavior reports from his teachers. He is able to follow rules, play well with others, shower and brush his own teeth, and much more. He tells his foster mother that he enjoys going to school and likes playing monkey bars on the playground. Like most 7-year-old boys, he loves being active! Kent is afraid of strangers and prefers to be accompanied by familiar people. Kent has been diagnosed with developmental delays, attends resource classes at school, and receives occupational and physical therapy once per week.

Jack is a smiley boy who enjoys hot cocoa. Agency staff met sweet Jack in October of 2022. Contact the agency to learn more about Jack and his listed medical needs!

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

Agency staff met Andy in October of 2022. Contact the agency to learn more about Andy and his listed medical needs!

There is a $2000 agency fee reduction for Andy’s adoption with a specific adoption agency; additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

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

Thomas lived in an orphanage for the first 4 years of his life. He was then moved to a group home with 10 other children with disabilities, where he lived for another 4 years. He made developmental progress while in the group home, but was still not receiving the 1:1 care and attention that he needed. He was moved into foster care at age 8 and has made significant gains in all aspects of his development since then.

Thomas can communicate verbally with words and short phrases. He also uses gestures and pointing to objects, in order to communicate his wants and needs to his foster family.
He is a sociable child who enjoys the company of other children, particularly his friends with whom he loves to play. He is so full of energy, enjoying running, climbing, and riding his bike (which is fitted with stabilizers). He particularly likes to kick a ball around in the garden with his friend and play with balloons. On outings to the park and the zoo, he takes great interest in everything he sees but loves most of all anything with wheels.

His motor skills have improved recently and he is able to do more complex activities without being told how. For example, when his jacket sleeves are inside out he turns them the right way round before dressing himself. He takes great interest in many different kinds of toys. He loves the rides in the school bus every day. He is in a small class group. He is independent with self-help skills such as dressing, undressing, toileting, eating and drinking.

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

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

 

Update 2024: Polly now displays some self injurious behaviors.  They have seen improvements with the addition of multiple medications, but her behaviors can decline as the meds begin to wear off each day and before an additional dose can be given.

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

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

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

Samuel is an energetic and strong willed 5 year old boy who loves outdoor activities, playing with robots, puzzles and watching movies! Samuel said he would like to become a policeman when he grows up.

Samuel is not shy! He enjoys interacting with new people and likes playing in groups. His foster father said Sable “feels especially loved when there are more people interacting with him.”

Samuel resides in a foster home and has a 2 year old foster sister. He has a close bond with his foster parents and often expresses his affection to them.

Samuel has developmental delays and suspected ADHD. He attends occupational and speech therapy. During a recent visit with his social worker, he demonstrated his ability to string beads together, stack blocks and draw with a pencil. His articulation and pronunciation have improved, and he is able to clearly express himself. Sable also attends group therapy to help improve his interpersonal skills.