Tag: Children International

Adopting a Child with HIV from Vietnam

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Vietnam Adoption

In the past, children with HIV in Vietnam have been adopted by American parents. US / VN adoptions were placed on hold in 2008 and have re-opened as of September 2014. At the time of this writing, the 2 US adoption agencies approved for processing Vietnam adoptions are Dillon International and Holt International.

According to Dillon Int’l: they have placed children with HIV, children with HIV are waiting for families, both heterosexual married couples and single applicants between 25-55 can apply (this may be an agency rule not a country rule). Only one trip about 2-3 weeks in length.

 

Children Waiting in Latvia For International Adoptive Families

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families

As of October 2013, according to the official adoption authority in Latvia, these 3 children are living with HIV and are currently registered for international adoption:

11. Girl, born on December 30, 2012:

  • girl has blue-grayish eyes and brown hair. The girl is calm, has good sucking reflex, eats well but does it slowly, holds head well, makes an eye contact, reacts to light and likes bathing;
  • child was born to a 38 years old mother, from her 5th pregnancy, in the 4th delivery, with a weight of 4130 g, height – 54 cm, after Apgar’s score 8/9 points. During the pregnancy the mother was not monitored by a doctor;
  • child has been consulted by a physiotherapist (22.01.2013.) – the psychomotor development of the child corresponds to age. Crawling age – in a position laying on the back turns head to one or another side. Hold head in a centre line for a several seconds. Kicks (motions) with both legs. In a sitting position has good head control, holds head for several seconds. Muscle tone in norm. Walking age – reflectory leg support reactions – hip straightening and automatic walking when in vertical position. Grasping age – palms mostly are in fists, pronounced grasping reflex. Perception age – with an eye gaze follows to a red rattle to both sides when it is moved. Reacts to a bright light and noise. Social age – fixes the face which moves and follows it for a short time. Looks in the eyes. Mostly gets calm when is taken on the hands;
  • final medical diagnoses – HIV infection, HCV exposition, anti-syphilis course;
  • further necessary treatment – regular medicament treatment, surveillance of an infectologist, a hepatologist and a dermatovenerologist, prevention of rickets;
  • the mother abandoned child in a hospital, nor maternity, nor paternity for the child has been stated.

12. Boy, born on May 19, 2011:

  • boy has brown eyes and hair. The child is smiley, loves communicating with the adults, enjoys playing with toys and other children, likes looking picture books, moves by crawling, sometimes by holding with his hands pops up on a little platform, eats with a help of the adult, has good appetite. The boy is active, is interested, joyful. Caretakers of the child says that boy develops well and his positivism helps in improvement of his development, he is a real combatant;
  • child was born to a 36 years old mother, from her 5th pregnancy, in the 3rd delivery, in the 37 gestation week, with a weight of 2970 g, height – 47 cm, after Apgar’s score 7/8/8 points. During the pregnancy the mother was not monitored by a doctor;
  • child was consulted by a physiotherapist (18.01.2013.) – psychomotor development of the child delays in every area. Notable dynamic of the development. Gross motor – child moves forward by crawling, often plays in the position laying on the right side, by crawling activates the left side in a support to the right side. Is able to sit down on the right side-sitting by supporting on the right hand or on support with both palms when they are on the front. Stands on his knees. By holding stands up and stands for a while. Alternates the weight to one or another leg, has different height for his inner part of the feet, notable outward-rotation of the hips, knees and feet. If the weight is on the left leg, then the right leg is bended. The child has pronounced posture and motion asymmetry due to congenital developmental anomalies. The child is active and dapper. Sleight-of-hand – plays with a different size and shape objects, has ‘pliers gripe’, leafs the book of pictures, pushes a toy car when is in the position laying on the back or in a sitting position, takes a toy in each hand, claps them together or puts them in one another. In other positions works more with his left hand. Perception – simultaneously is able to play with 2 objects, tries to connect them is able to put smaller cup into the middle cup and then into the larger cup), is able to find the object beneath the cup, using string can drag a toy which tied to the string to himself, tries drawing. Social age – when asked, gives toy, tries to imitate gesture ‘bye’, rolls a ball to the adult. Gladly gets in contact with the adults or a child. Smiles a lot. Self-dependence – drinks from a mug which is held without getting dirty, takes food and eats it with his hands, when getting dressed helps with his motions;
  • final medical diagnoses – multiple congenital anomalies; teratogenic dislocation of the left hip joint; contracture of left hips, left clubfoot; scholiostic spinal deformity; multiple vertebral anomalies in the thoracic and lumbar part; flaccid lower limbs, parapresis, movement disorders, HIV I A III, HIV infection with other specified expressions (B23.8), OU Astigmatism hypermetropic, glasses; psychomotor development delay;
  • further necessary treatment – to continue assigned therapy of an infectologist, control of the infectologist. To wear glasses. Consultation of a psychiatrist. Physiotherapy. Speech therapy;
  • by a court verdict the mother of the child was deprived of custody rights in November 2012, paternity has not been stated. The mother did not visit her child in the hospital for a long time. Periodically the mother has phoned to the out-of-family care institution and shown interest about the child, often she was under the abusive substances while phoning;
  • the child has 1 older brother who is under the guardianship. The decision of Orphans’ Court on separation of the children in case of adoption has been made.

30. Girl, born on 31st of May 2004:

  • she has brown eyes and hair, she was born to a 23 years old mother in her third pregnancy, in her third delivery with the weight of 2450 g and height of 47 cm, she started sitting at the age of 13 months, crawling when she was 1 year and 8 months old, walking without assistance at the age of 1year and 10 months, first teeth came out when she was 8, 5 months old. The girl is emotional, likes individual attention, likes when someone occupies with her, sometimes whining. The general development of the girl has been retarded; girl is mutual sensoneural partially-deaf in serious stage. Child doesn’t speak, doesn’t walk, she doesn’t control where she is going or what she wants to do;
  • medical diagnosis – the backwardness of psychomotor development, mutual sensoneural partially-deaf in serious stage, B 20 (the infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)); the backwardness in serious stage with the indices of autism;
  • further medical treatment – the surveillance by audiologue, the use of hearing aid, the surveillance by neurologist and psychiatrist, continue the control in AIDS center of Latvia;
  • by the court verdict parents have been deprived from custody rights in April 2006, the paternity is not determined;
  • the girl has one elder sister and brother, who are in the guardianship of their grandfather and two younger brothers – one of them lives with the parents, one lives in other out-of-family care center. A decision of the Orphans Court on children separation in case of adoption has been made.

Pre-teen boy in Eastern Europe ~ Special Needs Adoption Opportunity

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families

Andrew2001 (1) Andrew2001

Andrew2001 (2)This boy was born in 2001. These photos were taken in February 2012. He is located in a country in Eastern Europe which allows older parents and larger families to adopt. Couples must be married to adopt this child. An parent who adopted a child in his orphanage spent 2 months there and she is advocating for the boy and is available to speak to potential adoptive parents. “He is a kind, quiet boy who seems to have a sweet nature about him. He has a limp arm of some sort. There is a good chance he is HIV positive. His best friend is being adopted and he will be lonely at the orphanage.”

Take 2 Minutes to Help Russian Orphans Caught in the Adoption Ban

by Bethany, posted in Other Topics

On Sunday, Father’s Day here in America, but Monday in Russia, two men will determine if thousands of Russian orphans will grow up in a family or in an institution. Hundreds of them had already met their families. Many of these precious orphaned children are living with HIV. In fact, at least 20 Russian orphans with HIV had American families in process to adopt them when the adoption ban went into effect.

The G8 Summit is in a few days and although our Congress and Senate have been AMAZING help to families in the adoption process, President Obama has yet to respond. If you would like to write him a note to let him know this matters to you and that it needs to matter to him, that would be great! The link to his correspondence page is below, just click and fill in the info. I placed my comment in the Subject that says Administration at the very bottom under Non Policy Comments. This only takes 2 minutes of your time.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments

Here is a sample comment, although it is always best to personalize:

Dear President Obama,

I am saddened to know that you have yet to respond to letters written to you about the Russian Adoption Ban that 170 Members of Congress and the Senate have, in a rare show of UNIFIED support, signed requesting your involvement in finding a solution to reuniting the Russian orphans that were promised homes with American families. Please make sure this item makes it on your agenda and is discussed with President Putin at the Summit Meeting. Take just one moment and think of the love you had for Malia and Sasha the moment they were placed in your arms. Now think how you would feel if after holding them and loving on them for days, they were taken from you. Your heart would break as it is now for many American families. I know several of those families, all of which were in the process of adopting children with disabilities such as Down Syndrome and HIV. These are children who may never know the love of a family if they remain in Russian orphanages. It is an urgent human rights matter that Russian orphans with disabilities have the opportunity to be adopted by Americans and other international families. 

The Summit meeting is fast approaching. Please make sure this item makes it on your agenda and is discussed with President Putin at the Summit Meeting.

 

Other ways you can help:

‘Like’ 300 Broken Promises on FB to support the families in process.

Support The Dark Matter of Love film campaign and video.

Toddlers in India with HIV & $9,500 adoption grant

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families, Non-Profit Organizations

After a period of quiet while officials in India made changes to the adoption process–World Association for Children & Parents (WACAP) is now seeing adoptions in India up and running successfully for families interested in children with medical needs. Each month, information about a group of children with medical needs is shared with the agency. In recent months WACAP has been seeing toddlers and young children with HIV on India’s list. The agency has a grant program that offers a $9,500 grant to (eligible) families who adopt an unidentified child age two or older with HIV from India. Eligible family incomes must be less than $125,000 a year after subtracting $3700 for each child in the home. The family must be paper ready with a complete homestudy and dossier before being able to review child information. You do not have to be of East Indian origin to be matched with a child with HIV. With the new system in place, WACAP strongly encourages families who are interested in adopting children with HIV to apply to the India Program! Please email Jo Reed in FamilyFinders@wacap.org or Priyanka Joshi, PriyankaJ@wacap.org manager of WACAP’s India program, or call her at 206-575-4550.

WACAP (www.wacap.org) is a non-profit adoption agency.

Little Boy Born in 2006 Desperately Wants Family

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families

He often ran up to the door,
he heard steps … – he is waiting.
The boy firmly believes –
Once MAMA looking for, then find.
In bed, eyes closing,
to dispel any worries of the day,
as he repeats the prayer:
-Mamulechka, find me …
in the pockets of hidden candy,
flowers for mom collected.
But left unanswered
prayer children in the night.
And yet, with hope and stubborn,
quietly sitting on the window,
The boy draws the word MAMA

He is in RU and cannot be adopted by Americans at this time. When you look at him, once you see how he is growing into a handsome and tall man. The children in children’s homes grow up too fast – they have no children’s problems… but he is still very young, only 6 years! And he is clever, detailed, beautiful eyes, and just a nice kid with which you can not remain indifferent. He’s intelligent, fairly well developed (no mental delays) and smart. He really needs a mom. His biological mother was deprived of parental rights and the biological father is unknown. He has been in the system for a long time, from infancy. He has an older sister, born in 2004 who is currently residing with an aunt (who refused the boy). He has status for international adoption.

Many additional photos available.

Young Siblings – Adorable Brother and Sister

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families

‘Drew’ was born June 2008 and ‘Lila’ was born April 2007. They are biological siblings in need of an adoptive family.

These two cuties are very interesting, lively, charming, smiling. They are very attached to each other. The brother is described as having a ‘relaxed’ nature. The sister is described as having a ‘calm’ nature. It is unclear at this time if one or both of the children is living with HIV. Additional photos are available.

Pretty and Smart Girl Needs a Family ~ Waiting Child Photolisting

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families

“Hope”  was born in November 2005. She has dark eyes and she is an amazing little girl. She gets along well with other children. She is very smart. When an adult explains something to her, she listens carefully and makes her findings. When she is interested in something, she asks questions. She is inquisitive, curious and communicative. She is also described as being charming and affectionate. This child really needs a loving family. It is believed that whatever developmental delays she may have from institutional life can be overcome. She is a cheerful girl and she likes helping take care of the younger children. She is a truly beautiful girl.  She was transferred to the older child orphanage toward the end of 2008. She is so gentle and waits patiently for someone to show her attention or affection. She has a confirmed HIV-positive diagnosis. The chances of a child this age with HIV being adopted by a local family in this particular region are almost zero. The most recent photos were taken in summer 2009.

Urgent Plea for Little Girl w/ HIV & CP

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families


It is believed this photo is of a little girl named Irina taken in 2006 when she was nearly 3 years old. We think she was born in December 2003.
An article from December 1, 2006 states: “Now urgent problem with one of our patients Irina who is nearly 3 years old. She is HIV-positive but she does not need special treatment; the virus can sleep in her body for many years (this may mean she is a slow-progressor). It was disturbing her underlying disease – cerebral palsy and she needs a qualified neurological treatment which we cannot provide in our hospital. The children with this pathology go to the orphanage for children with central nervous system damage and mental disturbances (“the mental institute”). We are working in this direction but it’s hard to say how long the girl will be in our center. Frankly, we are scared to send the child to people suffering from phobias about HIV. It is excusable for an uneducated man, but should never be in health care workers. A year ago, she held her head badly, could not sit there and just not realized was smiling, but now she crawls, stands, leans on the barrier and is beginning to talk. The children at the hospital are loved, they are neatly dressed and well-trimmed” (see younger picture).
The hospital she was in at the time of the article seems to be a decent place, but it looks like she has been transferred to the mental institute. It is our hope to find a special family very soon who can help her with HIV and CP, and also with any emotional help she may need.
According to the article, there are other children in this region with HIV who are also in need of adoptive parents. The other HIV+ child specifically mentioned in the article is a boy named Sergey who we believe to be younger than Irina, but born before December 1, 2006. There is also a boy born May 2008 in this region.
Please feel free to copy and paste this information in to any of your groups, social media, blogs, etc to help find a family for this little girl. This is her only chance.
*Update – new photo from Summer 2012.