Foreign Adoptions

[Jolly Well]

Anyone here adopted from outside of the U.S.?

Certainly not a pressing issue since we've just recently added our first, but in our future plans we've been thinking of adding an adopted child (as our last - Chas wants a 1 or 2 more of our own) to our family, but I realize the process can be extended (years).

Some Asian countries are eliminating adoption to the U.S. - (Vietnam ban the process due to child slave and labor issues being exploited) so that is a concern as well.

Just looking to gain insight from experienced families (if any)...

[Happy Chappy & Daisy]

I understand that many foreign countries have problems with the children being understimulated during the crucial first two years (commonly leading to RAD, Reactive Attachment Disorder), as well as problems with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. These things happen often in this country as well, but should almost be expected in poorer nations. Not wanting to talk you out of it, but just want you to know up front that you will need to teach the child, no matter how old he is, how to make emotional attachments by doing all the things with him that you would do with a newborn. You might have to get down on the floor with an 8-year-old trying to teach him how to crawl, if he didn't make the brain connections that other children would. We're dealing with a little of that, ourselves.

Do the research, and then make your decisions.