Are Angelina Jolie's Adoptive Kids At Risk for Suffering from Reactive Attachment Disorder?

Angelina Jolie is taking a huge stride in adopting kids internationally. Angelina Jolie has adopted 3 children and given birth to three children. Americans follow her story because she is not only a beautiful person physically. She advocated a beautiful mission in her life. She is a Goodwill Ambassador to the UN Refugee Agency. She took her ambassadorship to the next level by taking unwanted children into her life. Whether her reasons are to comfort her own emotional needs or for other deeper purpose, time will tell.

The media portrays her as a doting adoptive mother. Is it going to be a fairy-tale life for these adoptive children? Or will Angelina Jolie "act" to the public about the harsh realities of adoptive parenting?

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)

The vocation to be an adoptive parent is a huge responsibility. It is not for the faint hearted. An adoptive parent must be to be able to offer understanding and support about a child's past. The common misconception is "love is enough" to raise these children. A disorder called Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) has been causing havoc in the lives of many adoptive parents. The adopted children are unable to reciprocate love to their adoptive parents. Due to the trauma they experienced before the age of 3, these adopted children are unable to trust and bond with their new families.

Famous People with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)

In the Nancy Thomas parenting website, Nancy Thomas noted famous people who are known to have RAD: Adolph Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Edgar Allen Poe, Jeffery Dahmer, and Ted Bundy. A success story of an intervention at the right time was Helen Keller.

What Puts a Child At Risk for RAD?

Nancy Thomas explained that a child is at risk for Reactive Attachment Disorder if any of the following conditions occurred in the child's life during the first 3 years of their lives:

• Unwanted pregnancy

• Exposure to trauma, drugs or alcohol before birth

• Physical, emotional, sexual abuse

• Neglect such as not answering the baby's cries for help

• Separation from primary caregiver which can be from illness or death of mother or severe illness or hospitalization of the baby, or adoption

• Colic, hernia or many ear infections occurring frequently as a baby

• Changing day cares or using providers who don't do the bonding approach

• Moms with chronic depression, thus neglecting child's growing emotional needs

• Several moves or placements such as foster care, failed adoptions

• Caring for baby on a timed schedule or other self-centered parenting

Are Angelina Jolie's Adopted Kids at Risk?

Is it possible that Angelina Jolie is experiencing RAD issues with her children?

Wikipedia.org stated that the first adoption of Angelina Jolie occurred in 2002. Maddox was adopted from an orphanage in Cambodia at seventh months. Based on the above criteria, Maddox is at risk for unwanted pregnancy, abuse, neglect, separation from primary caregiver before his first 36 months of life.

On her second adoption, Jolie got Zahara from Ethiopia in 2005. Zahara was six months. Wikipedia.org wrote that Angelina Jolie adopted her from Wide Horizons For Children orphanage in Addis Ababa. Zahara suffered hospitalization for dehydration and malnutrition when Angelina Jolie brought her to the US. It indicates another high risk for RAD.

Angelina Jolie's third adoption is a three year old boy from Vietnam. Pax was said to be abandoned at birth ( his mother died) and turned him to the Tam Binh orphanage until March 15, 2007. This also constitutes a high risk for RAD.

Conclusion

Angelina Jolie projects a semblance of fulfillment in her three well-publicized adoptions. The past lives of her adopted children in the orphanages in Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam logically puts the children at high risk for Reactive Attachment Disorder. RAD occurs as a tragic consequence of not meeting a child's emotional and psychological needs within their first three years of life.

Sadly, even if these children are taken to stable homes, they struggle to function emotionally through normal bonding and trusting of their new caregivers. Instead, they put their parents on an emotional roller coaster ride by manipulation, constant lying, stealing, destruction of properties, bossiness and food issues. Many adoptive parents are burnt out and on the brink of giving up. These parents need emotional support and new therapeutic interventions.

It will not be surprising if Angelina Jolie will come out in the open one day on how she is dealing with Reactive Attachment Disorder. It will put this disorder in the limelight and facilitate further research. Or it could take a wrong turn if her adoptive children will be caught by the press doing "Radish" parent's nightmare. It could take the form of stealing, lying, self-harming, intolerance of authorities and hurting others. Many RAD kids have done these acts to their parents. We easily label them as ungrateful but the reality is it is a disorder.

Sources:

"Angelina Jolie", Wikipedia.org

"Attachment Disorder", Nancy Thomas, Nancythomasparenting.com