Other Special Needs

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey001
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey002
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey003
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-bailey004
Password: Adoptmaa

There is little reaction with toys and no playing when in his possession. Isaac is completely dependent on the help of the staff.

Condition after a brain hemorrhage. Cyst in the left cerebral hemisphere. Microcephaly. Spastic quadriparesis. Cryptorchidism. Anemic syndrome. Behind in his neuro-psychical development. When put on his belly or held, he keeps his head up. He slightly turns to one side but doesn’t turn independently from back to stomach and vice versa. He doesn’t try to sit up and doesn’t get up to a standing position. He doesn’t have good support in his legs. He starts after loud sound but doesn’t turn his head to the direction of the sound. He listens to the speech of adults. He doesn’t look at an adult leaning over him. He doesn’t follow with a look moving objects or people. He reacts to touch. He is calm and doesn’t cry without reason. He reacts positively to interactions and laughs loud. Photos and videos from June 2015 are available through the agency.

Brooklyn has muscular dystrophy and a speech disorder. He has normal mental development. In 2020 he experienced burns over a large portion of his body and had right-sided bronchopneumonia. Therapy: Operative excisional cleaning of the wounds, sterile dressings; intensive treatment of thermal shock; antibiotic therapy. Brooklyn receives additional support in the form of resource teaching. With him a team of specialist work –speech therapist, psychologist, and resource teacher within the limits of the pre-school. The child is for a second year in a row in the same preschool class, because he was delayed from starting first grade because of medical reasons. He likes artistic activities and playing with his peers. He understands and strongly desires to be adopted, even if he does not talk much, his short dialogs are for his future surrounded by his loved ones.

Bailey is a healthy child with age-appropriate physical and neuropsychological development. He has good communication skills, has leadership qualities which sometimes turn bossy, and has a group of friends. He is curious, social and actively interacts with the people around him of different ages. Bailey has the attitude and the mindset for the adoption process with the needed positivity towards providing good living
conditions, including satisfying of the physiological needs, the needs for security, love and belonging, respect and self-affirmation. He understands and strongly desires to be adopted, he often talks about his future, surrounded by his loved ones. The adoption process is so desired and awaited by Bailey. The child is prepared and
ready to have his family, his adoptive parents.

Update 10/24

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

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

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

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

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

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

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

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

Update 8/2024

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

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

Update 8/2024

Woodrow loves to eat and gets quite upset if meal time is late. He doesn’t self feed, but eats pureed food by mouth. It can be a messy affair, but he is quite satisfied when he is done. Woodrow drinks some with a sippy cup or water bottle, but also likes to drink from a regular cup if he is feeling particularly thirsty.

Woodrow is not a fan of bath time and tends to move around a lot as he tries to keep his caregiver from bathing him, particularly his face and head. He is very picky about people touching his head – sometimes he likes a good head massage and other times he will duck away from anyone who tries to touch his head at all. He also does not like anyone touching his face, especially to try and wipe it off after a meal or to brush his teeth. The one exception he sometimes makes is for his caregiver to kiss his cheeks and neck, which he occasionally greets with a big smile.

In the past, Woodrow would often cry and thrash inconsolably for long periods at a time no matter what his caregivers tried. Some changes with medications have helped him drastically. He still does not sleep on a regular schedule, but if he’s awake during the night, he is generally calm, sometimes quiet and sometimes “talking” with his little noises.

Woodrow really likes his feet and will often clap them together. He also uses his feet to protect his head which he hits repeatedly for sensory input. Woodrow does not do a lot of purposeful movement with his hands, but often wrings them.

Woodrow goes to physical therapy and attends a special education class every day. He likes to be pushed around in his wheelchair and enjoys going in the swing.

Woodrow is a ticklish guy and will often reward tickles with a smile. While he is not generally a cuddler, he sometimes enjoys being held and cuddled and will lean in to relax.

Progress with Woodrow has been slow, but he is learning and responding. We continue to pray that he would know that he is safe, loved and treasured. We also pray that a brave and bold family would step forward to pursue his adoption. He is worth it.

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

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-eloise01
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-eloise02
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-eloise03
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-eloise04
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-eloise05
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Password:  Adoptmaa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Walt  has been diagnosed with autism and developmental delays. He is nonverbal, does not engage with peers, and prefers to play with rotating, round objects. Walt does not show aggression and expresses warmth toward others on his own initiative. He likes to receive hugs from his foster parent.

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

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

Photos are available through the agency for qualified families.

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

VIDEOS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lucia

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

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

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

Charles

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

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

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

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

Arlen and his four siblings came into care in 2022 due to being victims of multiple types of abuse in their family. Their parents were known to be drug users with emotional instability and aggressive behaviors between them. They were also verbally abusive toward the police and other authorities. Arlen is being placed for adoption as a single child.

As Arlen was never enrolled in school until he was taken into protective custody, he is in the first grade. He is familiar with some letters and numbers but cannot read or do simple arithmetic problems. He truly enjoys art class since he has great skills for doing crafts. He seeks adult validation in every activity he participates in. However, while he recognizes authority figures, he is defiant toward them and only obeys with some difficulty. Arlen usually gets along well with peers and adults; however, when he gets mad or frustrated, he begins to behave in a bad and aggressive way. He lies whenever he wants to avoid his responsibilities. He gets upset when he cannot do what he wants. His cognitive development is affected. Arlen has been diagnosed with ADHD, mild cognitive developmental delay, focalized epilepsy, and oppositional defiant disorder. He goes to occupational and psychiatric therapy, and also takes daily medication. There are no concerns regarding his motor and language development.

As mentioned, Arlen and his siblings were subjected to multiple types of abuse. It has been reported by his teachers that in addition to being aggressive toward other children in the class. Though Arlen can verbally express his feelings and emotions, he has a hard time managing them. He gets easily frustrated and has trouble finishing any given task. He is afraid of the dark and of being alone. Arlen gets anxious when he consumes sugary foods, and he also gets anxious when an outing is going to happen soon. He goes to bed around 8 pm but takes a long time to fall asleep.

Even though Arlen has been known to be aggressive toward others, his child study also reports he usually gets along with adults, peers, younger children and animals. Arlen is not shy when meeting people; it is easy for him to take the initiative to start a conversation with anybody. He likes to take the lead in any game. Arlen can be affectionate toward those he knows and is comfortable with. He likes to maintain good hygiene habits and takes care of his personal belongings.

Arlen is very active during the day. He loves to go to the park and to play soccer with friends. Arlen is interested in any outdoor recreational activity; he loves to do physical exercise. He has stated that he is good at swimming. Arlen has stated that he would love to get married and have kids. He does not want to go to college but would like to work handling heavy machines. He is open to being adopted by any type of family.

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

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

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

Suvi is a calm child who lives with a foster mother that has fostered children with disabilities for many years. She attends a special school and has made progress since starting there. While she does do her school work, it is not with much academic skill and her teacher believes she will not make cognitive progress in learning and memory. Suvi’s foster mother reports she is obedient, affectionate, more autonomous, knows where her belongings are and is concerned about her self-care. While she is autonomous in some ways, she is dependent in others. For example, she wears diapers as it is not expected she will ever be able to use the restroom on her own, and while her motor skills have improved to the point she can walk (with difficulty) and crawl, she uses a wheelchair for long trips. She can take off and put on her shoes and clothes with assistance, washing herself in the bath, as well as some other tasks. Suvi does not have verbal language, though her foster mother reports she says things such as “I love you” and “thank you” though she would not speak for an assessment. However, she is able to express her emotions and needs to those who care for her. She is said to have many friends at her school and interacts favorably with others.

Suvi is a girly girl who loves having flowers and other accessories in her hair. When her hair is combed, she smiles. She loves pink and purple clothing, and enjoys playing with her baby doll she has named Baby. She enjoys playing with Barbie dolls, paint, dance and sing, watch Bluey, eat ice cream, and listen to music. Suvi needs a two-parent family who can commit the time and attention she needs to help her develop to her optimal abilities and who can ensure she receives the ongoing medical care she requires.

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

Angelo likes playing with bubbles and painting with tempera. He enjoys crafts and exploring the different materials and textures. Angelo also likes building towers and playing in water. He is described as social and showing great interest in everything that happens around him. He is a great observer.

Angelo is able to kick a ball forward with help, throw a ball over his shoulder and catch a ball with rebound most of the time. He is able to pedal a tricycle and climb the stairs with help. He is able to undress. His motor coordination is good, which makes it easier for him to string objects. Angelo has a good understanding of orders and knows and recognizes language. Contact the agency to learn more about Angelo and his medical needs!

NEW VIDEO:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-angelo2

NEW VIDEOS: 10/2024

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

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

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

https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-angelo06

Password:  Adoptmaa

Julia has been diagnosed with autism, speech and developmental delays. Since receiving rehabilitation services at her preschool, she has now met her gross motor skill goals. She has good fine motor skills, including wonderful handwriting for a 5-year-old. Her speech has improved since starting preschool and especially since receiving speech therapy. She can now express her thoughts, wants and needs in complete coherent sentences, and her social skills are improving as well.

Julia was in the same foster home from the time she was 21 months old until September 2024 when her foster mother could no longer care for her due to personal reasons unrelated to Julia. Julia was used to going to respite care and that has helped her ability to settle into her new foster home. She has expressed her care for her new foster mother by telling her “Auntie, I like you very much” and has been able to show affection to the new foster mother. She has also felt able to share her opinions and concerns with the new foster mother such as when she felt the assistant caregiver was not treating her the same as another child.

Symptoms of autism have been mild as Julia is a lovely, cheerful, friendly and talkative child.  She can be stubborn at times. She has a tendency to be repetitive in her play such as writing the numbers 1 to 10 repeatedly. She also shows so egocentrism, as well as a lack of concern for others. For example, during a social worker visit, the foster mother accidentally fell from her chair and Julia did not show any concern about this matter. On the other hand, she reciprocates the love and concern that the foster mother shows her at bedtime. She enjoys playing with her foster mother, and also has a good relationship with her foster father.

Due to the country’s unique child/family matching process, a family with a valid home study for any country can be considered for this child. The agency will need to review the country’s process as well as ensure the home study agency is willing to complete additional paperwork needed by the country. It is important to note the agency does not match children and families in this country, but rather submits a family’s information for consideration if they meet eligibility to be submitted.

At the time she came into care, Ariel was referred to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy due to her developmental needs in cognition, speech, social skills and fine motor skills. She was subsequently placed in a special school having been diagnosed with mild intellectual disability in November 2021, and she stayed in that school until June 2023. These measures helped her improve significantly, especially in the area of behavioral tendencies such as being fidgety, having outbursts and being jumpy. In fact, when her foster family moved and she started a new school in June 2023, she adjusted well and her teachers now say she is an above-average student, earning As and Bs in all her grades. While Ariel did have significant improvements in all her developmental areas, she still has some delays in each area. Physically, she can do everything she should, but she is slow when it comes to climbing and needs a handrail to go up and down stairs. She can ride a scooter, but at 11 years old, she still cannot ride a bike. She is able to take care of herself, and can write, draw and do crafts, but she does tend to make mistakes in her Chinese writing. She also tends to eat with a fork or spoon as she does not have the dexterity to use chopsticks effectively. She is also a quiet child who communicates in simple sentences and generally only speaks when spoken to, but she is able to express herself and carry conversations. Ariel does have visual diagnoses of amblyopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism for which she wears glasses and must attend follow-up appointments every six months.

While Ariel was suspected of having autism in 2021 and ADHD in 2023, after attending psychiatric appointments the diagnosis of ADHD was dismissed. The agency is inquiring if she was, in fact, diagnosed with autism as the paperwork is not clear on this matter.

Ariel is a quiet and cheerful girl who is well-attached to her foster family and enjoys going on outings with them. She is helpful in class and enjoys assisting her teacher with various tasks. She is introverted and tends to either play by herself with her special doll or other stuffed toys, or when she does play with others, it is usually with the other foster girl in her home. She enjoys watching videos or playing at the park.

Ariel will benefit from a family who can accept and help her with her mild intellectual disability and social skills challenges. Given her gentle temperament and cheerful nature, she would benefit from a warm, nurturing and stimulating environment where she can continue to receive therapy and receive special education.

Vance was also previously listed as Vinnie.

The agency has pictures available for seriously inquiring families — Kevin is ADORABLE!

Kevin is an adorable and friendly boy who can confidently play with familiar children the neighborhood. Kevin hums when he hears music or when he is watching television. He enjoys watching nursery rhymes on YouTube. Kevin is diagnosed with autism and with global developmental delays that include language and cognitive impairments. He also has microcephaly and an absent sagittal suture. Kevin has mild to moderate gross motor, fine motor (adaptive), language, and social skills. We’re hoping there is a special family out there for this precious boy! Could that family be yours?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gabi
Short bowel syndrome. Abnormalities of absorption after surgery. Small bowel insufficiency. Condition after necrotizing enterocolitis. Condition after surgical intervention – termino-lateral ileo-colic anastomosis. Allergy to cow’s milk protein. Cavernous hemangioma on the right side of the face. Condition after: Prematurity IV degree. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Retinopathy of prematurity. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Retention in the neuropsychological development. Hypotrophy II degree

Sally and Ria live in a foster home.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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