Medical Issues to Consider in an International Adoption

For many Americans adopting a child from another country may be the only way to have a child of their own. Other adopting parents have the resources and desire to take a child out of less than perfect conditions, and bring him or her into their already existing family and share with them their life in the United States.

Americans are adopting more and more children from foreign countries. International adoptions comprise one quarter of the 65,000 adoptions in the US each year. These children are welcomed with open arms, but there may be problems ahead. Before adopting a child of any age, parents should get as much information as possible about a child's medical history and if possible, that of the child's birthparents.

The medical information and genetic history provided to international adoptive parents can be very sparse or even non existent. As with every thing in life, there are no guarantees .Health problems can appear suddenly in both adoptive and non adoptive children. It is best however, to be aware of any present or future issues.

Children placed for international adoption, may have experienced abandonment, illness or death of a parent. There may have been alcoholism or drug abuse in the immediate family. There may have been situations of child abuse or neglect. All these situations can affect the health of the child.

A baby may have experienced lack of prenatal care or postnatal care as well as a lack of immunizations. The child may have been malnourished or suffered from parasites, developmental delays and congenital defects.

Exposure or infection from hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis is also a possibility. The child may be smaller than normal and suffer developmental delays.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is common in Eastern Europe and Russia. It is not found so often in Asian children where alcoholism is not so prevalent. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) occurs when the fetus is exposed to alcohol when the mother drinks throughout the pregnancy. FASD is a cluster of symptoms.....small head, small features and brain; heart defects, learning difficulties and delayed development. There may also be behavior problems such as hyperactivity, short attention span, lack of impulse control, extreme nervousness and anxiety. These children can have problems throughout their life, especially in school situations.

Genetic factors to be aware of, such as diabetes and heart disease and other inherited disorders may be noted if a medical history of the birth parents is available.

As one can see, children available for international adoption may have potential health difficulties. However, many of these medical issues can be treated successfully with modern medicine in the United States when the adoptive parent is aware and willing.

For those children with severe or potential health problems, there are many adoptive parents who take on their problems with love, care and resources. They give these children the best chance of a good life. For in life, there are no guarantees.

CNN....Troubled International Adoptions

Medical Issues in Internationally Adopted children

Encyclopedia of Adoption