Other Special Needs

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

Nilo has diverse interests.

Nilo experiences attachment to children and therapists. She is sad when separated from someone. She seeks contact with adults, classmates and older students and engages in joint activities with them, she participates in role-playing games. She has mastered the social role of a student and classmate. Nilo helps her classmates when she sees that they are having a hard time. The comfort zone is the classroom and Montessori room.

The child communicates verbally, expresses wishes, and is often persistent about them, especially about things that spark her interest. When asked a question, she needs time to think about it and reproduce an answer; she constantly asks questions and seeks approval. The answer is not always adequate to the situation. She doesn’t always
understand the meaning of what was said and the execution of a relevant instruction.

Nilo likes a variety of toys, and she possesses different ones. She can play with other children and is cooperative, she shares her belongings. Nilo has developed self-service skills and readiness for academic work. She has established hygiene habits. She eats independently; dresses and undresses; unfastens and fastens; puts on and takes off shoes; she knows the parts of clothing. She can’t tie shoelaces.

She can say that she is in a foster family and that the foster mother raised her. The girl partially understands that foster care is temporary. She listens and accepts information related to the possibility of being adopted and meets potential adoptive parents, but still, she cannot imagine living in a different place.

Zander entered care in 2018 at the age of 5 or 6. He is in school and is currently attending the 4th grade for the second time. He is in a special education program due to multiple diagnoses. Zander took an IQ test in September 2022 and the results showed a mild cognitive delay. He has also been diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depressive disorders, for which he takes medication. According to the child´s medical history, he also has a diagnosis of macrodactyly and gigantism, in addition to congenital hand deformity. However, this does not affect Zander’s state of health. There are no concerns regarding his overall motor development. Zander has proper language, but sometimes his tone of voice and vocalization make it hard to fully understand what he is trying to say. It is hard for him to concentrate on one specific task.

While Zander enjoys school and has a good relationship with peers, he often experiences a lack of motivation regarding school. When faced when academic challenges he often gives up. Zander experiences sudden changes in his behavior, and his mood and disposition towards activities can vary from one moment to another. When he is in a good mood, he follows instructions and is respectful and obedient. Zander likes it when people invite him to participate in an activity. He is still learning to manage his impulses and frustration. Many times, when he does not get what he wants, he reacts inappropriately without measuring the consequences of his actions. Zander is not disrespectful towards authority figures, but it is hard for him to follow instructions and directions.

When interacting with other kids, at first he is shy due to the condition of his right hand, but once he feels comfortable he starts to interact with others. Sometimes he cannot get along well with peers due to comments he says that might be hurtful to others or because of bad behaviors to call for attention. Zander gets anxious when he wants to interact with a peer he likes. Playing with peers, watching TV, or playing on the computer makes him happy. He experiences sadness when people do not pay attention to what he is doing. He is scared of horror movies.

Zander enjoys sports such as swimming, basketball, and soccer. He also enjoys artistic activities such as dancing and singing. He is good at drawing and painting. Zander says he likes birds and dogs.

Info from March 2024:

When Mell was born, his biological parents tried to take care of him even with his special needs, but they lived in a small town far away from cities and hospitals. At his one month check-up, he was diagnosed with congenital malformation of the spinal cord, hydrocephalus, low weight, fetal growth delay, and respiratory syndrome. At one of his following check-ups, the doctor sent Mell to the hospital due to a high fever and inflammation of the brain. Sadly, though they had tried, his parents recognized that they did not have the means of caring for him in the ways he needed, both due to finances and distance from necessary medical care, and they asked Protective Services to care for him. No other family members were able to provide the care he needed as well. Mell was placed in a foster home and is doing well.

Mell has been receiving various types of therapies which have been valuable in his development. When meeting adults for the first time, he becomes shy, but he recognizes familiar people and loves to interact with them. Mell identifies the emotions on people´s faces and interacts accordingly. He is a very expressive child who shows affection in various ways, and sometimes gets jealous when his foster mother gives affection to the other children. According to the professionals who care for him, Mell has the language development of a 12-month toddler. He communicates through crying and screaming and can say some short words such as “mama” and “papa.” He also imitates animal sounds, such as those of a dog or cat. He responds to simple instructions such “Take this” and “Give me that.” Mell identifies different body parts, plays with Play-Dough, and performs other activities that strengthen his fine motor skills. His movements are spontaneous despite the limitations he has in his lower limbs.  Due to his chronological age, Mell requires support, supervision, and guidance to fulfill his daily routines. Mell takes two naps during the day and sleeps throughout the night. He wears diapers all day.

Mell likes to interact with peers or adults and loves to spend time outside. He gets excited when he hears a motorcycle engine as he immediately thinks he is going to go out and gets anxious. He gets upset when his diaper is dirty and when he is not allowed to go out. Mell gets happy with simple things, and he likes to laugh a lot. Mell loves to drink sweet juices. Due to his medical condition, he does not wear shoes but wears very soft socks. He enjoys it when adults help him to kick the ball to play soccer. Mell also likes to play with cars and airplanes.

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

NEW VIDEO

OLDER VIDEO

Password: Adoptmaa

There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Ariana’s adoption. Additional agency fee reductions may be available based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.  If you are interested in reviewing Ariana’s file or in adopting Ariana, please contact the agency for additional information.

Information in this report is from November 2024

Hans was born to a young teenage girl who, tragically, had already given birth to a child at a very young age. Due to her chronological age and emotional immaturity the mother was not able to fully understand her responsibility, and despite the support of her family, the bond between Hans and his mother was not positive. After Protection Services became involved, it was evident that the biological mother and her family were not able to take care of the child due to his special needs, economic struggles and already caring for Hans’s older sibling. He, therefore, came into care at the age of 3 years old. There is no information about the biological father.

Hans is not enrolled in school due to his medical diagnoses. Hans loves to receive affection, and he responds through smiles. He is totally dependent on others to fulfill his daily routines. He communicates through guttural sounds, screams or by crying. Hans cries whenever his diaper is dirty. Hans´s gross and fine motor skills are not developed. The child cannot hold his head up, and he cannot crawl or walk. He has some body movements, and the foster mother has received training on how to stimulate his motor development. He does not like to be held and prefers when people change his body position without holding him for too long. Due to Hans’s medical diagnosis, he has a severe cognitive delay and is not able to interact with other children. Hans receives occupational, physical and speech therapy. Hans takes daily medication.

Hans likes to listen to soft music. He needs a family who can always take care of him due to the severity of his condition.

Morty is looking for a very loving family who has time to spend helping with his needs. He has been diagnosed with grand mal seizures and takes medication for this. He has other delays in all aspects of his development.  The agency has video available, for inquiring families.

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

Ivan has a moderate mental delay with hearing loss in one ear. He also has scoliosis of the spine. He can walk, run, climb and descend stairs alone. Ivan does not speak however he enjoys watching children’s movies. He prefers to play alone. He can feed himself and drinks from a cup. The staff is working on potty training with him.

The agency has a video of Ivan, from Feb 2024.

Update 8/2024

Ivan was born in 2016 and resides in a family-type accommodation center for children. He is a child of Roma origin. The parents consented to full adoption, due to the
inability to care for him. Diagnoses include moderate mental retardation, behavioral disorder, expressive speech disorder with hearing impairment – unilateral conductive hearing loss in one ear. Normal hearing with the other. Scoliosis. He has normal physical development for his age and is in good health. He walks independently, with an unsteady gait, goes up and down stairs alone, runs. Fine motor skills are poorly developed – knows how to match elements, string figures on a rope with help. He feeds himself, holds a pencil with his whole palm and scribbles on the paper, does not know how to draw, does not know how to color, does not know colors, does not know how to cut with a knife, does not arrange a constructor and a puzzle.

He rarely responds to his name. Positive emotion is expressed through a smile. When he is cheerful, he laughs loudly. He shows stubbornness and impatience but does not show
aggression or auto-aggression. He has no developed speech. He understands what is being said to him, recognizes the tone. Feelings are expressed through whining, crying, laughing. No expression of interest in anything specific is observed. He watches children’s movies. He loves attention from an adult. Does not play with peers. Eye contact is not complete. He likes to be hugged. He likes strollers, tries to play with them, prefers to hold them in his hand. Chase and kick a ball. Loves light up toys. He likes to spend time outdoors. During the academic year 2024-2025, he will be in 1st grade with an independent form of education.

He has a peaceful sleep. He knows how to feed himself; he knows how to drink from a cup, he does not know how to dress and undress himself, put on and take off his shoes by himself, but he must be asked. He does his physiological needs in the toilet or potty after prompting, he does not use a diaper.

Information in this report is from Summer 2024:

Nate was born prematurely at 27 weeks gestation and was hospitalized for two months. After living with his mother for two months, he came into protective care at 4 months old after his mother abandoned him in the care of a neighbor. Initially she visited him occasionally, but the last visit was in 2022. Nate lives with a foster family.

Nate has unidentified cerebral palsy, but it doesn’t hold him down! While at 8- months-old he showed significant delays in neuro-psychomotor development, today he has shown significant development. He is being monitored a team of specialists including a neuro-pediatrician, orthopedist, physiotherapist, psychologist, speech therapist and nutritionist, in addition to receiving specialized educational care. Nate can now move around with some independence and is in the process of adapting to the use of an orthotic equipment, which may help his locomotion. According to the physiotherapist’s report, Natey crawls, sits in a W position with balance, stands with support and walks sideways. He has the potential to use a walker for home distances and a wheelchair for community distances.

Socially, Nate is an extroverted child who loves to participate in activities and communicate. He can focus on activities. He understands what is asked of him and responds coherently within his ability. He demonstrates caring and affection with other children and adults. He is observant to what is going on around him. Nate lives in a house where there are children younger than him and this fact limits his social interactions, which has significantly compromised his progress.

It is believed that Nate has great potential for development, as long as there is proper stimulation. The possibility of starting family life through adoption at this time is considered extremely important for the progress of the child’s physical, social and cognitive development.

Please meet this cute boy named Bowie.  He was diagnosed with congenital cataracts in both eyes.   However he underwent surgical treatment with implantation of intraocular lenses. There is suspected Glaucoma.  He is also diagnosed with Children’s cerebral palsy – Quadri pyramidal syndrome. Grand mal seizures with or without petit mal seizures.

Bowie can sit up independently from a lying position. He can stand up by holding on to various objects. He walks independently but it is uncoordinated. The child lags in neuropsychological development. He accepts bodily closeness with pleasure.  It is pleasant for him to be held by an adult. The presence of children in his immediate space does not bother him, but he does not show interest in them and does not initiate interaction. He is soothed by riding in a pram or listening to favorite children’s songs.  He prefers the environment to be quiet.  He becomes nervous and anxious around loud noise.  He is entirely dependent on the care of an adult.

SN:  Moderate intellectual disability, Asperger’s syndrome, sensory hypersensitivity

Maeve is a six year old girl with moderate intellectual disability and Asperger’s syndrome. She attends a kindergarten where she receives therapy for movement, speech, and autism. She had disorders in speech, balance, and coordination. She gets anxious when on unstable ground. She has been making tremendous improvement lately. Maeve struggles with sensory hypersensitivity. She is capable of building relationships with her peers and caregivers.

Despite being able to communicate verbally, her speech used to be unclear, but lately it has improved tremendously. Recently, she has become more and more independent. Maeve stands out from the rest of the children at the orphanage.

Elon walks independently. He feeds himself and cleans up after his meals. He does not talk at this time, but understands what is said to him and follows simple instructions. He responds to his name. He interacts appropriately with adults and with other children. He attends to tasks and works well 1:1 and in a small group.

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

This lovely older girl has an ADHD/ learning disability diagnosis.  She could do great with a family to help her with her schoolwork!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Thomas is described as a lovable, active, cheerful and sociable 14-year-old boy who enjoys various sports such as basketball, hiking and cycling. In addition, he also enjoys playing computer games, singing and watching YouTube videos. When he smiles and laughs, a deep dimple can be seen on his right cheek. He shows frequent and appropriate eye contact when interacting with others.  Thomas readily helps out in the classroom at school where he performs well academically and has developed positive relationships with his peers. His involvement in sports has not only helped Thomas to understand the importance of collaboration and cooperation, but also supported him in regulating his body sensations for better emotional regulation and stability.

Thomas has been living in the same foster home since 2012 and has developed close relationships with various members of the foster family. However, he understands that the foster family is only temporary, and he longs for a permanent family to love and care for him. Thomas actually had a family identified for him, but the adoption process was taking a long time and eventually the family decided that caring for a teenager was beyond their capacity. Now Thomas is seeking a loving family who can provide him with stability and guidance while honoring his cultural heritage and connection with past caregivers. As Thomas has grown up with his current foster family and has seen them maintain a relationship with their biological children who are now adults living overseas, he hopes for a family who will allow him to maintain contact with his foster family over social media and he hopes to visit them when he is older.

With committed caregivers by his side, it is believed that Thomas will build meaningful relationships with his adoptive family and thrive to his fullest potential. Thomas has a diagnosis of ADHD, but his medication has improved his ability to sustain attention and reduced his hyperactivity. Thomas shows age-appropriate development and self-care skills and enjoys generally good health. We believe that there is a family out there that can provide the love and stability that Thomas needs and deserves. He
shows so much potential and has consistently expressed a desire for a forever family.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ethan is well developed for his age. He is a warm and curious little boy. His best toy is a ball. He laughs and shouts every time he got his ball. Ethan is a cheerful and peaceful child. He likes the other children. Observes and manipulates with toys. He knows how to charm his caregivers and receives lots of attention.

With a familiar adult, Ethan has a good emotional tone – he enjoys a hide and seek game and sometimes gives his hand for “hello”.

He cannot walk yet, but he sits, crawls and staying straight caught for fixed support, showing progress in his motor skill development. The child has flat feet with valgus deviation of both feet – it was recommended to wear orthopedic shoes. Ethan stands up on his own until he is caught on a fixed support, stands on tiptoe, does not step aside, placed in a walker, moves short distances; pronounces long sound combinations.

A family met Ethan in late 2024 & would be willing to share their experiences with another inquiring family.

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

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

Adrena, who is now 15, came into care with her older sister when it was discovered that she and her sister were being abused in their home. Her sister is now aged-out of the system and while they stayed in touch initially, unfortunately they do not know her current whereabouts. While Adrena is clinically healthy, she has a lot of trauma in her past and will need at least counseling when she joins a new family to help her work through her past and transition into the new family and life.

This report is two years old, from when Adrena was 13; she is now at risk for aging out, as she is 15 years old.
Adrena is starting 9th grade. She is one of the best students of her class. The teachers have stated that Adrena is known for being responsible, respectful, helpful, kind, and always willing to learn new things. She feels comfortable being the leader of a group of peers within the academic environment. She is an independent girl who fulfill her daily routines without any help or supervision. Adrena takes good care of her personal belongings and has great hygiene habits. Whenever a task is difficult for her, she keeps trying and does her best to finish it. She can stay focused on one task and does not like to leave anything unfinished. Adrena recognizes authority figures, and she is respectful and obedient towards them.

There are no concerns regarding Adrena’s motor, language, cognitive and social development. She loves to give and receive affection from people who are emotionally close to her. Adrena gets shy when meeting people, and she usually waits until someone else takes the initiative to start a conversation. It is hard for her to express her feelings and emotions to people she is not familiar with. She interacts positively with adults, peers, younger children, and animals, but has stated that she prefers to interact with peers and not so much with younger children. Adrena is able to handle her emotions, frustrations and impulses in an age-appropriate manner. According to the foster mother, she is usually happy, does not get mad easily and is not anxious. Adrena has stated that she is afraid of being placed with her biological father again. When asked what her ideal family would be, she said one with a mom, dad, older sister and a dog of her own.

Adrena loves to spend time outside playing sports, especially soccer and volleyball. She likes to eat out, and while she doesn’t have a favorite food, she likes to try new things. She also likes to paint, do arts and crafts, and listen to hip-hop music. Adrena wants to go to college even though she does not yet have a clear idea of what area/subject she likes the best.

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

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

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

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina2
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina3
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina4
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina5
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina6
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina7
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina8
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-mina9
Password: Adoptmaa

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

Everly is an adorable little girl with a bright smile. Everly was born prematurely, and has several special needs. She loves bath time. She also loves affection. Everly is continuing to grow and develop. We hope a loving family sees her while she is so young.

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

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

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

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

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

Katy is a very intelligent and curious girl.  She loves going to the pool on sunny days.  Her favorite foods are soup and smoothies.

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

 

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

Steven is receiving therapy to help him develop his communication and interpersonal skills. He loves to swim, swing, and play with his special stuffed animals. He loves chicken noodle soup, plantains, and anything sweet.

The adoption agency has more detailed information on this child that they can share with potential families.

Steven was previously listed on Reece’s Rainbow as James.

Information in this report is from March 2024

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

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

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

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

Serene is a beautiful girl with a contagious smile, born in June of 2014 with cerebral palsy (spastic quadriplegic) and scoliosis. She is listed as having cognitive delays as well. Serene has regular evaluations with a developmental pediatrician and regular check-ups with her pediatric neurologist, gastro enterologist, and nutrition specialist. She regularly attends physical and occupational therapy once a week and receives continuous home-based therapy by her houseparent, as per instruction from the therapist. Serene smiles when somebody plays or talks with her. She laughs while watching other children play. She cries when wet, in an uncomfortable position, and when she hears thunder. Serene enjoys watching cartoon shows and listening to nursery rhymes. Serene is fully dependent on the care of her houseparent since her development is limited. She can put her head up, but she is unable to sustain it for longer period of time. She can sit up straight but tends to tilt forward. Serene cannot pull herself to sitting. She reaches her hand out to get the block or object, but she might swipe the block off the table. She can hold objects or blocks using her right hand. Serene can open her hands, but her left wrist is flexed. She can raise both hands slowly. She can hold biscuits and slowly puts it in her mouth. Serene can place both feet on the floor and make steps while the houseparent or therapist holds her body, though her legs are crossed. Serene’s care center hopes for her to be placed in a family who will unconditionally love her, despite of her health condition, and one who has enough resources to sustain her therapy and medical needs.

There is a $500 agency fee reduction for Serene’s adoption with the listing adoption agency. Additional agency fees may be available with that agency, based on the adoptive family’s circumstances.

Serene needs a family with an approved home study to be able to adopt her.

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

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

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

NEW VIDEO:

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

 

Update: 10/24

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

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

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

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

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

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

Password: Adoptmaa

Maleah is a medically healthy, active, tall and athletic beautiful teen girl!  More than anything she wants to be part of a family, and is open to both a two parent family as well as a single Mom.  Maleah has overcome much hardship and adversity in her past and needs a strong, committed family who is well-versed in trauma.  Maleah adores younger children and would benefit greatly from cousins or younger friends in the community!  Agency staff has met and spent time with Maleah and were immediately struck with the incredible potential this young woman has, if only given the opportunity!  Maleah will turn 16 in October 2025, making her ineligible for international adoption to the US at the time.  Her family must be ready and willing to race to her in time!

Robby is delayed in all aspects of his development, but has begun to make small gains in learning . He will interact with caregivers and other children if an activity is interesting to him. His attention span when working on tasks has begun to increase. He enjoys playing in the sensory room. He learns best with multiple repetitions of a task.

His current agency has videos and pictures that can be shared with interested families

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

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