My Family Found Me

Isla can crawl, slowly walks, climbs and goes down steps. She does not react to any sounds or to people talking to her. Her report indicates that her hearing is normal, despite repeated observations that she does not react at all to any sounds. When a toy is placed in front of her field of vision, she will reach for it and hold it in her hand.  She enjoys playing with light up toys.

Diagnosis: congenital hydrocephalus; cervical meningocele. Condition after ventriculoperitoneal shunt implantation and meningocele closure. Epilepsy. Psychomotor developmental delay.

Special needs: Prematurity III stage Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; persistent foramen ovale; peripheral pulmonary stenosis; moderate communicating hydrocephalus; retinopathy of a prematurely born child; convergent strabismus.

This is the case of a male child, born prematurely III degree (1180 g), with a complicated perinatal history and pathological neonatal period. Subsequently he developed moderate communicating hydrocephalus and is delayed in his motor and mental development; there are changes in his tone and reflexes.

The child was diagnosed with a congenital heart malformation (persisting foramen ovale and PAC), which required therapy for a certain period of time. His cardiac status has improved. Given the severe prematurity, he has retinopathy of a prematurely born child and strabismus. The ophthalmic status is being monitored. The boy needs to be followed up by a pediatric cardiologist, a neurologist and an ophthalmologist. A systematic motor rehabilitation is conducted.

The child can flip from back to front, he is unable to sit, he is unable to rise on his feet on his own. The boy reaches out and grabs with his hands and can hold toys for a short time. He follows with his eyes and turns his head after moving toys and people; he smiles when they talk to him gently; he winces and listens to a loud sounds and reacts briskly when familiar adults are talking to him. The boy pronounces sounds and random sound combinations. The child is completely dependent on the care of adults. Diapers are used.

Update Aug 2023:His long list of medical issues are all related to his premature birth; his weight at birth was just over 2.5 pounds. His medical needs include: bronchopulmonary dysplasia; pulmonary hypertonia; persistent foramen ovale; peripheral pulmonary stenosis; persistent arterial canal (collateral); periventricular leukomalacia; and retinopathy of a prematurely born child. This bright boy can hold toys and play with them purposefully. He begins to babble and recognizes familiar people, greeting them with smiles and laughter. He is calm but expresses displeasure by crying when he is unhappy or his needs are not being met. He is not yet able to feed himself, and though he can roll from front to back, he does not yet sit or stand unassisted.

Nolan is a child who is very well-liked and accepted by his peers. He acclimatized to his new place very quickly. Nolan is cheerful, willing to go to the school and undertake various activities with his groupmates. He is intellectually fit, curious about the world, and interested in many subjects (even politics).

Nolan respectfully relates to adults, listens and tries to follow adult instructions. He observes the established norms and rules. He willingly participates in all activities. The boy enjoys playing with children. No most enjoys playing ball, constructing with blocks, as well as watching books and listening when an adult reads. N actively participated in extra-curricular activities – English, eurhythmics, theater and music workshops, dancing. N loves dance classes. He tries to be independent in self-service activities – at meals, in the bathroom, when putting on clothes. The boy has a large vocabulary and knowledge, and willingly expresses himself on various topics.

Apart from currently being in a wheelchair, Nolan is fully independent. He even climbs stairs on his own and needs no special support at school! During the meeting at the orphanage, our representative heard that according to his caregivers, the family that adopts him will receive an incredible gift, a blessing!

Clay likes to play with car wheels and watch them turn. He enjoys games where you have to assemble and disassemble cars. His favorite toys are those with lights and he loves to wear shoes that light up when he walks and runs. Clay is independent and expresses himself through gestures and sounds.

VIDEOS:

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-clay1
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-clay02

Password: Adoptmaa

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

These loving siblings are waiting for a family of their own! Contact the listing agency to learn more about this beautiful sibling group of five!

This sibling group is doing very well and are a very tight sibling group! Agency staff met them in August of 2023 and loved them! They also participated in winter hosting via another agency, and we’ve been told that they would do well in a family with other children around their ages.

** Micah, the eldest, is an easy-going boy. He has many friends and gets along very well with everyone. He is calm and kind.

** Madelyn loves her siblings and her friends. She is very sweet and has good manners. She would benefit from wearing glasses, however, she does not like to wear them. She tends to take on a caregiver role with her siblings.

** Melanie is very resilient. She was diagnosed with club foot in both legs. She has had many surgeries and is now wearing braces. She walks well and does not need the second surgery they thought they would have to do. Our staff saw her walking in person. She is a sweet girl who loves to play.

** Morgan is a very affectionate little girl. She loves puzzles. She works hard to keep up with her older siblings! Morgan has some cognitive delays and is the child who has the most needs out of all five of the kids.

** Mathias is an adorable little boy. He is very affectionate and loves on everyone he meets. He also loves to play.

We love seeing their smiling faces and hope their forever family see them soon. Mathias, Morgan, Melanie, Madelyn and Micah are loving siblings waiting for a family of their own! We’re really hoping to find a special family open to adopting all five of these kids together!

There is a $2,000 agency fee reduction for Mathias, Morgan, Melanie, Madelyn, and Micah’s adoption with the current listing agency. Additional agency fee reductions may be available from the agency, based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

According to her caregiver, Mariah is a sweet girl, she is such a little “doll”, she likes dresses, shoes, likes to dance and she has an amazing personal charm. But she also has a strong character, pursues a goal, and is very curious about the world. She wants to be independent – she eats her meals alone, uses the toilet herself (and has a good appetite!) – and she also is willing to help.

Mariah has good motor activity, she is physically active, willing to dance and sing. Mariah has a lot of energy, is enduring, does not get tired quickly, and often changes body positions. She tries to be independent.  She does not react with anger to her failures. She is persistent in carrying out instructions and tries to finish what has been started. The girl eats her meals alone, uses the toilet herself, and has a good appetite.

The agency’s representative in country met her in  December 2021 and they have videos and photos to share with an interested family. At the end of the visit while saying goodbye, she quietly asked the representative to find a mother for her.

The agency offers a discount to a special family for this beautiful and brave girl.

Luca is described as a very active and affectionate young boy. Luca remembers faces and smiles when he sees familiar faces. He participates both in individual activities and team activities. He interacts with other children on a daily basis and communicates with others through gestures and sounds. He can use short words at times. He likes to play soccer and play with musical toys. He voluntarily plays with his peers but, most of the time, he seeks the attention of adults. He does not like to feel that he is left alone. He is affectionate and loves to give hugs. Luca is organized with routines that are part of everyday life such as maintaining meal schedules, sleep, personal hygiene, and recreational activity. He presents an ability to adapt easily to his social environment.

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-luca
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-luca2
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-luca3
Password: Adoptmaa

The agency has photos, videos, and additional information.

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

Marcus is a 9 year old boy who is predominantly affectionate, sociable, independent and respectful. He has a lot of interest in learning new things and being accepted by his companions. He is affectionate and attentive towards his younger brother and enjoys playing with him. He is in the 3rd grade and has been diagnosed with ADHD and is currently being treated with medication.

Gerardo is 7 years old and in the 2nd grade. He is described as having a stable mood, is affectionate with caregivers and the majority of people in the foundation. He is a kind, smiling and playful child, but it is also capable of communicating the things that bother him and can defend himself. He has a good relationship with his older brother. His favorite activities are playing soccer with his brother, drawing and playing video games, like Hulk and Spider man. He presents with motor coordination with impairment and decrease of strength in lower limbs. Identifies decreased strength of both legs with frequent falls.

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

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

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

Trey had a rough birth with vacuum extraction; he received treatment in the intensive care unit. He has been lagging behind in his neuro-psychic development since his early childhood. He started walking without aid late in his life.  He follows simple instructions and plays with musical toys; with assistance he nests rings. He often imposes his will. He is restless when sleeping. Trey often cries without a reason. He does not play with other children and prefers contacts with adults. At times he exhibits auto-aggression and stops after distraction.

Presently, the child does not show interest towards his environment and is not interested in the surrounding world. He looks at his toys and touches them but is not interested in them. He takes a toy but quickly throws it away. He does not react to his name but now he makes a difference between known people and strangers. When asked, he does not seek objects with his eyes. He reacts to sounds and likes it when people talk to him tenderly. He responds with joy to simple jesting. His speech is not developed; he produces guttural sounds and listens to them. He reacts positively when hearing human voices.

Trey has regular consultations with a psychologist and a speech therapist, as well as with a pediatric psychiatrist and a neurologist. His delay in his neuro-psychic development was confirmed. The child has undergone a surgery for his strabismus.

Pictures available from the agency — he is DARLING!!

Atlas has a diagnosis of Down syndrome, is not under medical treatment, has diseases typical of the climate, no history of infectious diseases.

He currently receives early care through physical and language therapy. He responds favorably to stimuli and interaction with its environment, responds with babbling, remains only standing. It is important to continue providing multidisciplinary care by the area of physical, occupational and language therapy for his proper development.

Half-brothers Noah and Neil live with their foster parents and 13 year old foster sister. Noah and Neil have a good relationship with one another and with their foster sister.

Noah’s favorite activities include watching tv, playing board games and building with blocks! Noah is a little shy around new people and new environments.  Once he warms up, he will seek hugs and wants to hold hands with people he feels comfortable with.

Noah has an ADHD diagnosis, and the file from Taiwan states he has “traits similar to Asperger’s syndrome”. Noah is currently taking medication to help him focus, and he is attending weekly group therapy sessions. Noah is a 2nd grader in elementary school where math and Mandarin are his strongest subjects. During recess, Noah LOVES to pretend he is a policeman with his schoolmates!

Neil enjoys any type of physical activity, such as playing on the playground! He also likes activities that require creativity, such as putting puzzles together and building structures with blocks.

He is described as an outgoing and active child, who loves to smile! He is very curious around new people and adjusts to new environments quickly.

Neil has language, cognitive, motor and social emotional delays. He receives OT, PT and speech therapies weekly. His foster father noted Neil is improving his vocabulary and now able to speak more sentences at home. Neil attends pre-school and his favorite class is PE.

Keller: Is there anything cuter than a little 3 year old boy in a train shirt with yellow sleeves?  Keller had just turned 3 when agency staff met him in November. He has some developmentally delays, but seems to be doing really well. He may have some mild hearing loss, there is further testing scheduled. He likes playing with toy cars and playing outside. He communicates in short sentences and can follow 1 step directions. He scribbles with a crayon and made a nice stack of blocks for us. Keller has an older sister who is also available for adoption.

Update 2022:

Keller is described as a lively, cuddly child.  To view his original post, click here.  Keller was seen by virtual SuperKids in February 2022 and wow, he has developed into a happy kid, loving to learn new things and share his knowledge!  Shy and reserved around the video camera, he was hesitant to sing for us but did hum the tunes of Paw Patrol while playing and interacting.  Some of his favorite cartoons are Paw Patrol, Robocar Poli, Masha and the Bear and Shimajiro!

Keller is almost 5 1/2 years old and learning in kindergarten class.  He is now able to participate in sports, ride a bike, paint, build towers, and enjoys watching cartoons.  He is receiving early intervention services and has an IEP, with goals of maintaining focus while in groups, improving fine motor skills and interpersonal interactions- all goals he is working hard to achieve!  He receives weekly speech therapy.

On a recent outing, Keller was able to go to Ocean World to watch the dolphin and sea lion show.  He really enjoyed this experience and seems to enjoy learning about animals and nature!  How amazing would it be for him to be home next years with his forever family, enjoying theme parks, aquariums, and the zoo?!

Keller is progressing in multiple areas, including language and motor skills – he enjoys singing songs, counting to 30, and working on fine motor skills such as using scissors.  Keller has received speech services for since 2019.  While he is working on various goals, there have been gains as he is able to shown ability to problem solve, and speaks in more complete sentences!  Keller responds to reward and encouragements in his day to day life.  He is encouraged by  receiving stickers when he learns something new!

Keller has quite the sweet tooth! He likes cakes, cookies and pudding.  He shared that they are yummy treats and shares his treats with his caregivers.   Keller wants to bake and eat cookies with you!

UPDATE 2024: Keller has been matched with a family.  He has an older sister who is no longer available for adoption.

Abby is a beautiful little girl with big brown eyes. Her gross motor skills are good. She is walking with little assistance. Her non-verbal communication is good. She has a ready smile and will respond to stimuli with her eyes. She is speaking words and attempts to communicate. Doctors have recommended occupational, physical, and speech therapies. Doctors have stated, “Concerning her diagnosis one suggestion is that, the child has epileptic encephalopathy (suspect syndrome Dravet).” (This description was from August 2018)

An update on Abby dated May 7, 2021, states her situation has improved drastically. She has progressed in her motor, cognitive growth and social skills. She readily socializes with her peers and caregivers and follows instructions when given. She has developed a rich vocabulary while still having some difficulty pronouncing some of the words correctly. She imitates different behaviors and LOVES to sing her favorite songs. She is attending an individual program suggested by a therapist.

Abby needs an opportunity for family. Can you imagine what she could do with a family who loves her and supports her in all of these activities? Would you welcome this little girl into your home?

Mitchell walks independently with an ataxic gait. He talk using simple words and simple sentences. He plays with toys. He shows interest in his environment and everything happening around him. He seeks contact with familiar adults.

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

Graden was born prematurely and experienced many complications after birth. He spent the first 5 months of his life in the hospital and has lived in one of the biggest orphanages in his birth country since leaving the hospital. He is often sick with respiratory infections and has an inhaler for asthma. He’s  been diagnosed with CHIARI malformation, but no treatment or surgery has been planned.

He can stand with support and will side step when holding on to something. He picks up toys, moves them from hand to hand and attempts to manipulate them. He interacts with staff members and other children. He reacts positively when he is given attention from adults and willingly interacts during therapy sessions and time with his teacher at the orphanage.

Update on Graden August 2022: He’s WALKING!!! Graden continues to make huge gains in his development since being transferred to a group home. Physically, he’s now independently walking, feeding himself with a spoon and in the process of being toilet trained.

Developmentally, he demonstrates interest in the events happening around him, he understands verbal instructions, his vocabulary improves with every week that passes – he understands most of what is said to him. He is able to follow simple, 2-3 step gesture instructions. He persistently goes and takes toys and plays with them. He is emotional and sociable. He likes when a familiar adult speaks to him and independently seeks interactions. He reacts with a smile to tactile and verbal stimuli. He demonstrates interest in musical toys and toys that make sounds. Most of the time he is calm and happy. He seeks contacts with other children from the group. He reacts emotionally when told “no”. He is interested in different activities. He answers when called by his name and recognizes his reflection in a mirror.

 

Jeffrey’s favorite toy is his yellow chicken toy, he calls ‘ya-ya’ (duckling)!  He also enjoys playing with toy cars, playing catch and building blocks. When his caregivers take him to the park, he is THRILLED when there is a dog around to play with. Jeffery is described as clever and will eagerly try new things.

Jeffrey has a good relationship with his foster family.  He often plays with his foster parents’ 6 year old daughter and his 1.5 year old foster brother. One of his favorite games to play with his foster family is hide-and-seek!  He enjoys to searching for people he is familiar with, and often wants to play.

Jeffrey has overall global delays.  He receives OT, PT and speech therapies weekly. Since starting his therapy sessions, Jeffrey’s has progressed with his walking, crouching-down and standing-up. Jeffrey is also making great strides with his language abilities and building his vocabulary.  Some of the recent words he has learned to say are ‘ya-ya’ (duckling), ‘hsiung hsiung’ (bear), and ‘che che’ (car)! Jeffrey received 2 minor correctable surgical procedures in June 2020 and April 2021.

Leo is very agile and curious. He likes to read and play sports and is talented in music. He has many friends, has completed 3rd grade and is eager to learn at school. He is helpful and quick to understand. He is describe as curious, calm, friendly and smart. He forms his own opinions and quickly absorbs new information. He is very interested in creative play and books. He is talented in music and likes to sing, dance and play instruments. When conflict occurs, he tends to feel hurt and then he checks for others feelings. He tries to provoke other children when he gets angry. He communicates well and has strong social skills. He enjoys playing with other children. He is diagnosed with Hypermetropia.

K is active, strong and is very close with his brother. He enjoys music and is in the 2nd grade. He is independent, curious and likes to think. He is talented in music and enjoys tasks where fine motor skills are required. He has congenital glaucoma and can’t see with his left eye. He is self conscious of his eye, has low self esteem and visits a psychologist to help him learn how to manage his anger and express his emotions. He likes to be alone or in a quiet environment and enjoys watching TV. He has difficulty making friends but wants to communicate with other children and staff members. He has a speech disorder and difficulty with attention, concentration and self regulation. He takes medication to lower his anxiety. He is diagnosed with mixed disorder of scholastic skills, congenital cataract and congenital glaucoma.

 

 

ALREADY HOME 2023

Update Jan 2015: Quint is an adorable little guy. He appears to have cerebral palsy and possible other delays. He can sit up on his own and scoots all over the place. Quint can stand unassisted and has recently started walking on his own. He is very proud of this new skill and practices it often, although scooting is still his primary choice. Quint tends to grab at anything he is close to, whether this is a toy, grass or someone else’s clothing. He will hold on tight, and sometimes put the object he finds in his mouth. Quint currently has trouble making eye contact, but he still loves to interact and play. He is non-verbal, but can often be heard making loud noises as he plays, by himself or with others. These noises are sometimes an expression of frustration and sometimes indicate joy. Quint loves to be tickled and get kisses!

Update Feb 2018: Quint has become quite mobile and is very steady walking, sometimes even trying to run. He hasn’t figured out the pedals, but loves to scoot around on his tricycle. While he still puts everything in his mouth, he does know the difference between food and other things and will always take it back out if it’s not food. He is learning to feed himself and does pretty well with a fork and is getting better with a spoon. He also holds his own sippy cup. We have been working on using the toilet and he still urinated mostly in his diaper but has many bowel movements on the toilet. His problems with making eye contact have greatly improved and he has been able to make some strong connections and attachments. He loves to cuddle and hold hands. One thing he struggles with is sleeping through the night, which has gotten a little better since he started taking melatonin but he’s still a pretty early riser!

Evangeline is an adorable little girl with Down syndrome, described as cheerful and active. She likes to dance, color, play hide-and-seek, and toss a ball. She easily understands instructions that are given to her. She continues to increase her vocabulary. Evangeline has great skill in performing playful activities. such as obstacle games. She has good fine and gross motor skills. Evangeline is also interested in running, jumping, assembling Legos, coloring, and painting.

A Specific adoption agency has a $3000 grant for Evangeline’s adoption!

Evangeline was originally listed in October 2019.  She was re-listed in January 2022.

Jaida has an active and playful imagination.  She LOVES to pretend she is a doctor visiting patients and enjoys playing pretend school!  Jaida enjoys drawing, playing with building blocks, and riding her bicycle.  She is not shy around strangers and easily establishes friendships with her peers.

Jaida has a diagnosis of Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (Type 1), hearing loss in her right ear, and overall global developmental delays.

Jaida attends special education classes.  Her teacher reports that she is highly motivated and catches on quickly to newly introduced lessons. Jaida recently learned how to write her name, and she’s starting to learn Mandarin phonetic symbols!

Jordi has a creative imagination and likes to draw! He also enjoys Legos, assembling jigsaw puzzles, watching cartoons, and outdoor activities including rollerblading and riding his bicycle!  Those who know Jordi describe him as thoughtful and kindhearted.

Jordi has a close bond with his foster family. His foster mother helps with his homework and reads picture books with him. His foster father takes him outside to play and reads bedtime stories to help him fall asleep at night. Jordi also enjoys playing with his younger foster brother.

Jordi has an ADHD diagnosis and taking medication. At home, his foster mother works with him to improve his concentration and patience. She noted he has made gradual improvements with his emotional growth and becoming more patient.  Jordi is in the 2nd grade, and his academic performance continues to develop with time.

Jordi is waiting for a family that will take him on outdoor adventures!

Jensen LOVES movies! One of his favorite memories was when his foster family took him to see a Spiderman movie last winter. He excitedly talked about the movie and told everyone “I saw Spider man. There were bad guys. Then he defeated the bad guys!” He also enjoys story books, building with blocks and playing ‘Big Eat Small’ board game.

Jensen is not shy around strangers and has a curious nature. He has a good relationship with his foster family and is especially close with his foster father. Jensen will act affectionately towards his foster father and seeks him when he needs comforting.

Jensen has brain injury history. He is enrolled as a kindergartener at elementary school. He is a quick learner and can repeat words after hearing them once. His 9 year old foster brother is working on learning English words, and Jensen has recently learned red, blue and yellow!

 

Finley is a lovely young boy with a bright smile! Finley is waiting for a forever family of his own! Contact the adoption agency to learn more about Finley!

VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-finley

Password: Adoptmaa

Noland loves to sing and dance! He also enjoys playing with toy cars with his foster brother. Those who know Noland describe him as curious. When around new people and introduced to new environments, he likes to observe before joining in to play.

Noland has a good relationship with his foster family and gets along well with his 6 year old foster brother. When he needs comforting, he will actively seek hugs from his foster mother. Noland has one older brother and 2 younger brothers who currently reside in Taiwan.

Noland has overall global delays. He receives OT, PT and speech therapies weekly. Noland has made improvements with his speech and fine motor skills through early interventions.

There is a potential Noland may not able to live independently and will need supportive care throughout his life. He needs a loving, patient, and caring family. Are you a family that can provide Noland with support to develop to his full potential?

Aurora is a cheerful child who smiles a lot. She has no problems interacting with kids and adults. She enjoys her individual sessions with her therapists and is typically very involved. She learns how to dress and undress, comb her hair and wash her hands without help. She understands the language but doesn’t speak it yet. She is trying and they are working to motivate her to talk. She recognizes and repeats the sounds of several farm animals and recognizes them in the pictures. She can put together 8–10 pieces of puzzles. She recognizes the basic shapes and primary colors. She is eager to read the books; she flips pages by herself, points to the right pictures and enjoys listening to the short stories.

She seeks attention from her caregivers and can cry or withdraw if they focus on other children. She is physically active but not always participating and needs time to learn new exercises. She can’t jump, and her balance is unsteady. She isn’t afraid of water anymore, can relax and swim with support. She loves to be outside and play on the playground.

Jonah is described as a “clever” child who likes to explore new places!  Jonah enjoys hand crafts, such as origami and building blocks.  Jonah can be shy towards strangers and he takes time to warm up and feel comfortable around new people. Jonah has a close relationship to his foster family, especially his foster mother.  He is able to express thoughts about his day openly with her and express himself.

Jonah has a diagnosis of ADHD and is currently on medication to help with his concentration. Jonah is in 3rd grade and participates in his elementary school’s afterschool program.  He has an excellent academic performance and positive relationships with his peers!

Jonas is fond of music and LOVES to sway to the beat of the music! Jonas enjoys playing on riding toys and playing with toy cars.  He has a good bond with his foster family and acts affectionately towards them.

Jonas is receiving occupational therapy for fine motor delays and speech therapy for his language delays. Speech therapy has assisted him to build onto his vocabulary and he is now able to say two-three word phrases, such as “shui-shui” (water), “mama”, “fan-fan” (rice/food), and “wo-yao-chi” (I want to eat it.)! Jonas attends preschool where he has more learning stimulation and is able to work on his interpersonal interactions.

While Jonah and Jonas do not live in the same foster family, they have been able to connect on multiple occasions and had an overnight sleepover at Jonah’s foster home. Jonah enjoys taking walks with Jonas, and he is excited to help his brother when he can!

Billy is described as having an affectionate bond with his caregivers and those around him. He smiles easily and often when shown affection or cared for, and loves to be held. He babbles and needs help walking. Billy is not yet two and imitates and interacts with others, shows initiative in walking, manages to hold more than one object at a time, grasps small objects and expresses pleasure in contact with different textures, he is learning to put figures in their corresponding place, however, with help they can carry out this activity. On the other hand, he is responsive when asked to hand over a toy, and is cooperative when dressed and fed. He likes to play with other children, interacts with adults, shows a social smile and is interested in having stories read to him.

Billy is alert and recognizes when he is called by name, maintains adequate periods of attention to different types of stimuli, both visual, tactile and auditory, and monitors them, responding assertively to environmental demands.

Although Billy is behind developmentally, he has and is making strides in his overall development. Billy is alert to his environment and recognizes facial features appropriately in terms of modo, and he cries or smiles appropriately. He recognizes things that bring his discomfort such as wet diaper, being hungry or tired, or  an injury, and responds appropriately.

He has diagnosis of Imperforate Anus, neurodevelopmental disorder and intellectual disability as evidenced in his intellectual and developmental delays. He has had previous urinary tract infections caused by E. Coli and Klebsiella Pneumonia, Imperforate Anus, possible Trigonocephaly, trend to microcephaly, may have other associated conditions.

Update 2022: He had surgery to repair his imperfect anus and his colostomy removed. Surgery was successful and he is eating and eliminating well. We also now have a brief video of Billy.

Julee likes to live a relaxed and easy lifestyle. She laughs around familiar caregivers and takes initiative to ask for hugs. Her caregivers report that she has a persistent personality and clear preferences. We have videos of Julee playing with toys, feeding herself with a spoon, walking with a baby walker, and more. We can see in the videos that she maintains good eye contact and are told that she is able to walk for 20-30 minutes if pushing a baby walker. She of course will take pauses to rest, but typically doesn’t sit down. Julee likes to watch T.V. and play with toys that make sounds. She has been diagnosed with spinal bifida and hydrocephalus and has delayed speech when compared with children her age. However, she has been receiving early interventions on weekly basis and she practices walking 3 to 4 times daily. Julee has received leg splints to support walking and improve muscle tone, and with great success, she is now able to stand up on her own! Could your family be the one Julee needs to support her as she reaches more developmental milestones?

Update April 2022:  The agency recently learned Addy’s, 3-year-old, brother has been approved for international adoption. He has developmental and speech delays.  Addy and her brother will be placed together.

 

Introducing six-year-old Addy! Addy’s foster family and social workers describe her as a gentle, quiet, and introverted young girl who is kind and affectionate towards familiar people. Addy enjoys working puzzles, making handicrafts such as origami and paper cutting, and skipping rope. We have videos of Addy performing all three tasks above and she really is quite talented! Addy has speech and developmental delays as well as suspected autism, although it is noted in a more recent medical update that she has made noticeable improvements in general knowledge, verbal language comprehension and abstract concepts. She is currently receiving speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy once per week, as well as physical programs to help increase her muscle strength. She can name daily life objects and their uses and respond to questions in complete sentences. Addy has much potential but lacks self-confidence.

Update Sep 2021:

According to her special education counselor, 7-year-old Addy has made remarkable improvements in self-confidence thanks to the support of her teacher and past learning experiences. Most recently, she is learning the concept of money through shopping activities and is training to enhance her muscle coordination and strength through arts and crafts. Addy has an intrinsic motivation to learn and doesn’t let her limitations of near sighted and borderline sensory integration disorder prevent her from trying new things. She is currently enrolled in gymnastics classes and focuses on four major exercises: horizontal bar, trampoline, balance beam, and floor.

Addy has an excellent relationship with her foster mother. She chats with people and laughs at funny things too. She likes to amuse a younger foster child at home and will protect her like a sister as well. Addy has been receiving extra visual training from her teacher at school. Her teacher reports that she is cooperative and will complete tasks that are required of her, even if she doesn’t enjoy them—like writing. She interacts enthusiastically and cheerfully with her classmates and enjoys taking part in activities with adults. When we asked Addy how she would describe herself, she responded beautiful, gentle, and introverted, whereas her classmates would describe her as a kind and generous person, who can be serious in class.

Jett:

Jett’s favorite activities include playing with building blocks, toy cars, and reading picture books with his caregivers!

Jett lives in a children’s home with 8 children of similar ages. He enjoys interacting and laughing with his peers, and he acts affectionately towards his caregivers.

We’re looking for a family for Jett and Addy who will be able to meet their diverse needs.  Jett is a toddler with language and social emotional delays.  While Addy is a grade schooler with developmental delays and possibly on the autism spectrum.

We are looking for a family for a precious one year old boy that was born with Down syndrome in Eastern Europe.  He is described as active, alert and has mostly positive emotions. He is happy, communicative and loves attention. Jamsey is happy when he is spoken to and cuddled and enjoys playing seek and hide. He can sit himself down, sits without help and smiles when he is spoken to. Jamsey follows someone with his eyes, vocalizes sounds and loves to hear others sing. He falls asleep easily and sleeps eats well.

He is currently in 6^th grade. He is active physically and likes outdoor activities as playing soccer and biking. He is willing to help and enjoy gardening. He also loves puzzles and is very good with putting together hundreds of pieces. He is a polite and open boy. He knows what adoption means and very much wants to be adopted. He is dreaming about a family!!

He doesn’t take any medications.

Meet Norna!  If you have ever considered adopting an older child, we are very excited to tell you more about her! Norna is lively and likes to interact and converse with others. She is also described as agile and clever.  Her favorite foods are meat, she dislikes vegetables, and loves snacking on chocolates and candies. Norna told her social worker that she’s good at soccer. She described that she could juggle a soccer ball with the back of her foot and kick the ball over her head four times without dropping the ball! Norna also said that her favorite subjects in school are P.E. and science. She thinks that planting plants is fun! Norna is also musically talented. She likes to write and perform her own lyrics and melodies to express her feelings. Although Norna was born prematurely, she has good verbal expressions and can express her thoughts and feelings clearly. She also has age-appropriate development. Norna has been living with the same foster family for several years and her foster mother teaches her manners, good hygiene, and the importance of maintaining eye contact when speaking with others. Norna was diagnosed in June of 2019 with ADHD and currently takes medication to stabilize and maintain her concentration. She has since shown improvements.

Update 2022:

We learned some really neat things about Norna – and this was one of my favorites!  “Norna shared that she dressed up as Santa on Christmas to help the school principal pass out candies to students.  At that time, many classmates wanted certain colors of candies, and she was displeased because she thought having candies to eat is a very nice thing in itself already.  She does *not* like them being picky.  Norna also shared that the way she likes to celebrate birthday is to share her cake with everyone.  Anyone can join her celebration.”

Over the past few months Norna has been able to visit a theme park, which she enjoyed!  Norna enjoys PE class, playing on the computer and Calligraphy.  She has natural talent and appreciation for song and poetry!

Meet Jasmine!  Jasmine is an adorable 5 year old born in 2016.  Jasmine has a happy disposition and loves to laugh! She is not shy and likes to interact and play with others. One of Jasmine’s favorite activities is spending time and playing with her favorite cousin, who is the same age as her. Jasmine also has a close bond with her foster parents and has an affectionate relationship with them. Jasmine has a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis with global delays. She attends occupational therapy and hydrotherapy once a week. Over the course of her therapies, she has made improvements with her mobility and can walk by herself. At home, Jasmine’s foster mother has her practice walking up and down stairs and using a kick scooter to continue with her exercises. Jasmine is currently in pre-kindergarten, and one of her major accomplishments was to memorize 1-30, and she can recite these numbers when quizzed! Jasmine’s speech skills have also improved throughout the school year, and she spontaneously requested a “glittery pair of shoes” recently. She has waited long enough. Could she be your child?

Additional photos and videos available from the agency.

One of Judson’s favorite activities is watching cartoons, especially Pokemon and Masha and the Bear!  Judson also enjoy singing along to his favorite nursery rhymes when they are played on tv or sung by his caregivers. Judson LOVES to take a ride on a bus and frequently asks his foster mom to go on rides!

Judson has a close attachment with his foster family, and affectionately refers to his older foster sisters as “aunties”. He’s curious in nature and likes to ask his foster mother questions.

Judson has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, speech and gross motor delays.  He is currently receiving regular therapy services. Judson is making great progress using his walker and holding onto the wall to steady himself as he walks!  His face lights up with joy as he moves around with his walker and explores new areas around him! Judson can count to 10 and he can recognize colors – with pink being his favorite.

$1,000.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Josiah can walk, kick and throw a ball, climb steps without support and drive a toy riding car. His fine motor skills are developing. He can manipulate toys and is beginning to work puzzle and make shapes on paper. He can identify his colors and basic shapes. He initiates contact with other children and plays well in a group. He follows verbal directions and responds to his name. He can speak using simple words and is starting to put words together to make simple sentences. He participates in organized small group activities. He loves to dance and will mimic dance moves/hand motions that go along with specific songs. He feeds himself. He can get undressed by himself, but still needs some assistance with getting dressed. He gets tired quickly, as a result of his heart condition. Josiah had his most recent heart procedure in March 2021. He is on a low fat diet and takes several daily medications for his heart condition.

Adopted!

Raymond is an adorable little guy with cerebral palsy in desperate need of a family who can provide better for his needs. He has so much potential but none of it is available to him due to his current living situation and lack of appropriate resources. Raymond follows simple commands such as “laugh”, “sing”, or “stick out your tongue”. He can stack three blocks and likes to play with toys where he can put smaller objects into larger ones. He is working with a therapist to learn to use a walker. He reacts with a smile to adults who are well known to him. He can babble and imitate animal sounds. Raymond likes to interact with other children and to play simple games. He chews his food well when he’s spoon fed and he drinks from a special bottle. Raymond has lived with the same foster parents since he was a month old. It is not clear from his documents the extent of his visual loss which may be complete or partial.

 

Brad walks independently. He plays with toys. He will fill a container with small toys and “pour” or “dump” into another container and continue the game back and forth. He can nest cups by putting them in the correct size order. He goes to other children, smiles to them and takes them by the hands. He smiles and observes with interest the faces of adults when gently talked to or sung to. He understands object permanency. He demonstrates pretend play skills related to kitchen/cooking (putting a spoon in a bowl and stirring, etc) and also bathing a baby. He shows good development in social play skills.

He runs, climbs stairs with help, rides a scooter, plays with cubes and figures which he can nest. Ned recognizes animals and knows their places when arranging a puzzle. He plays with other children, preferring the older ones and copying their actions. He loves music and musical toys, and sometimes dances. He responds to his name, follows directions, is well-intentioned, does not get angry and is not aggressive at all. Ned pronounces various sounds and syllables such as “ma-ma”, “ba-ba”(gandma), “ka-ka”(older sister), “hop”(ups), “meow”(what the cat says), “bau” (what the dog says), “da”(yes), “liu-liu”(swing), “ku -ku”(what the cuckoo says) etc. However, the main communication is related to taking the hand of a familiar adult and bringing her to the object the child wants. He arranges things in his room, chooses his clothes, can put on and take off his shoes, washes his hands by himself, likes to bathe by playing with balls and watering himself with a jug. He’s learning to feed himself independently with a spoon, but still needs pureed foods.

Ned lived in an orphanage for the first 2.5 years of his life. When he entered foster care, he could not sit, stand, make any sounds or have any form of communication. He has made a large amount of progress in just one year, with the help of multiple specialists and his foster family.

$1,081.70 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Bronner has recently started walking. He eats from a spoon. He explores toys, but often throws them. He remembers the activities of his daily routine and follows his daily schedule well. He explores his environment and interacts with other people.

Violet is a beautiful little girl who loves going to the park. She also loves dancing, music, exploring her environment, and playing with different elements and textures. Video available.

Violet has a $1,000 agency fee reduction for her adoption with a specific adoption agency.

Marcko had a shunt placed shortly after birth due to hydrocephalus. In February 2022, the shunt failed. Marcko experienced several seizures during the shunt failure. A new shunt was installed and he has not had any additional seizures.

Marcko can walk, go up/down steps, kick and throw a ball and stack objects. He will play with toys. He knows a few of his body parts and other very basic skills. He’s learning to feed himself. He can say a few words, but is not yet speaking in sentences.

Medical report indicates that the birth mother is an alcoholic. While it does not state that the mother drank during pregnancy, prospective families should be prepared that Nahla may have FAS.

Nahla is physically healthy. She lived in a neglectful home for the first 4 years of her life, before being removed by social services and placed in foster care. She says individual words and some simple phrases. She has made progress in her development since being placed in foster care, but has had to work through behaviors and medical concerns as a result of the previous years of neglect. Progress is being observed in all aspects of her development.

Update Oct 2022:

Nahla’s behavior is characterized by impulsivity and curiosity. Her speech skills present with some deficits. She says the names and denominatives for people close to her – (grandma), (older sister), (uncle), etc. During interaction she uses mimics, gestures, points to what she wants and brings the foster parent to the respective object. She has started to express desires more often, ask questions or express an opinion with simple sentences or two or three words. She understands adults’ speech well and orientates in non-verbal means. She is gradually starting to adhere to personal boundaries and has started to be “shy” in unfamiliar places, as well as set boundaries in her communication with people outside her family circle. She enjoys riding a scooter and bicycle and playing with a ball and at the park. She is able to participate in some playing situations with the biological granddaughter of the foster family. The foster parents are helping her build her skills for independence, as well as self-service skills. The child is unable to eat independently or maintain personal hygiene habits, she is learning to tidy up her belongings and toys. She is able to announce her physiological needs.

ADOPTED!

Nathan walks, runs, hops on one foot, rides a 2 wheeled bike, and goes up/down stairs independently. His wrists and fingers have some flexion issues, which cause delays in fine motor tasks. He can use both his hands, but still requires some assistance with some fine motor tasks. He can feed himself with a fork and spoon. He can indicate when he needs to use the restroom and complete the task by himself. He sometimes needs assistance with his clothing once he’s done in the restroom, due to the flexion issues in his hands. He talks, answers questions and can recite songs and poems that he has memorized. He plays with toys appropriately. He has an active imagination, and plays easily with other children. Cognitively, he demonstrates age appropriate reasoning skills, inference skills and can use past experiences and information during conversations, play and other activities. He easily transitions between activities. He makes cause and effect connections. He currently lives in a foster home where he is being worked with on all aspects of his development. He has not ever attended any type of formal educational environment. His foster parents have taught him his letters and he is now working on mastering numbers. They are actively working with him to increase his general knowledge base.

Nathan is aware that he lives with a foster family and has expressed that he wants to be adopted.

ADOPTED!