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.
