The Handbook Of International Adoption Medicine

Since 1989, more than 165,000 children have been adopted by American parents. Every indication suggests that this number will increase in the years to come. Many of these children arrive with complex medical and behavioural problems. These children require specialized medical attention to help them get well and adjust to their new lives and surroundings. The Handbook of International Adoption Medicine presents an overview of the medical and developmental issues that affect internationally adopted children, offering guidelines for families and physicians before, during, and after adoption. Laurie Miller has comprehensively researched these topics and also draws from over fifteen years of experience in international adoption and orphanages throughout the world. This book shows how to advise families prior to an international adoption, how to perform an effective initial screening assessment of the newly arrived child, how to manage common behaviour problems, and how to recognize and manage developmental and other more long-term problems as they emerge. Sections cover such subjects as the risks of prenatal exposures, problems in growth and development, infectious diseases, and other medical conditions such as inherited disorders, uncertain age, and precocious puberty. This information has never been available in one place, making the book an invaluable resource for families and professionals in the field of international adoption.

No matter how positive the intent of prospective parents, international adoption is fraught with emotional, medical, administrative, linguistic, and geopolitical issues. And while a wide range of professionals supports adopted children and their families in adjusting to the inherent changes and disruptions, the pediatrician's tasks--identifying and treating existing health problems and preventing numerous others--are particularly complex. International Adoption and Clinical Practice equips pediatricians with a comprehensive set of tools for establishing a long-term care plan and creating interventions to promote healthy development. This concise guide overviews the intricacies of the international adoption process and how they can affect the pediatrician's job, from potential pitfalls in collecting medical data from a child's birth country to tracking health concerns into adolescence and young adulthood. Developmental and behavioral issues including attachment, language acquisition, identity development, and consequences of abuse and neglect are also examined in this context. Figures, tables, and reference lists complement current information on topics such as: Epidemiology and demographics of international adoption. Pre-adoption evaluation of medical records. Guidelines for diagnostic testing, screening, laboratory evaluations, and immunizations. Common mental health issues faced by adopted children and their families. Long-term and adult outcomes of international adoption. Relevant policy issues and areas for future study. Every child deserves a safe and healthy home, and International Adoption and Clinical Practice gives pediatricians an in-depth framework for helping to make this possible as children make the transition to a new country and the next stage of their lives.

The go-to guide for everything you want to know about international adoption From the initial decision—Is adoption right for you?—through returning home with your child—How can you ease the transition?—The Complete Book of International Adoption takes parents step by step through the entire process of adopting a child from another country. You will find: • An easy-to-understand analysis of the differences between domestic and international adoption • Advice on choosing a country, including 25 important factors to consider, such as the waiting times involved and the estimated costs for each of the top placing countries, with charts for easy comparison • A detailed discussion of the potential health issues based on the latest research and interviews with doctors who specialize in international adoption • Worksheets and a suggested system for preparing and organizing the extensive paperwork involved • Parenting tips to enhance attachment and suggestions for addressing the issues that come up in raising an internationally adopted child • Real parents’ stories and advice at every stage of the process • Plus all of the information you need to select your agency, plan financially, prepare for the home study, travel sensibly, evaluate your child’s health and integrate your new family More than just provide the facts, The Complete Book of International Adoption also helps parents manage the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the territory. Sensitive, wise, and often witty, this book is a must-have for any parent considering building their family through adoption.

For anyone involved in, or thinking about, adopting a child from abroad, The International Adoption Handbook is an essential guide. The process of international adoption can sometimes seem complex, frustrating, and endless. This step-by-step guide, which provides the necessary hard facts and information — as well as support through the experiences of the author and others — will help smooth the way. After a general discussion of who may adopt and what restrictions may apply, the book goes into the nitty-gritty of what the process entails: choosing where to adopt and how to go about it; using an agency or facilitator; initiating the home study; assembling a dossier; working with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service; knowing the topes of expenses that can be anticipated; and many other issues. In addition, the book provides up-to-date information on resources, including what is available today on the Internet, information that was previously difficult for adoptive parents to find out on their own. Equally informative are the author's interviews of a number of adoptive families whose stories are interspersed throughout the book. By sharing their experiences, they help to make the process work for others.

Adoption is practiced globally yielding a multidimensional area of study that cannot be characterized by a single movement or discipline. This handbook provides a central source of contemporary scholarship from a variety of disciplines with an international perspective and uses a multifaceted and interdisciplinary approach to ground adoption practices and activities in scientific research. Perspectives of birth/first parents, adoptive parents, and adopted persons are brought forth through a range of disciplinary and theoretical lenses. Beginning with background and context of adoption, including sociocultural and political contexts, the handbook then addresses the diversity of adoptive families in terms of family forms, attitudes about adoption, and characteristics of adopted children. Next, research examining the lived experience of adoption for birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted individuals is presented. A variety of outcomes for internationally and domestically adopted children and adoptive families is then discussed and the handbook concludes by addressing the development, training, and implementation of adoption competent clinical practice. With cutting-edge research from top international scholars in a diversity of fields, The Routledge Handbook of Adoption should be considered essential reading for students, researchers, and practitioners across the fields of social work, sociology, psychology, medicine, family science, education, and demography. Interviews with chapter authors can be accessed as podcasts (https://anchor.fm/emily-helder) or as videos (https://bit.ly/2FIoi0a).

As the numbers of internationally adopted children increase in the US, so does the likelihood that these children will be seen in health care settings, schools, and the community. This volume will provide an overview of international adoption and will provide information about preparation of families for international adoption; initial assessment of internationally adopted children, including screening for infectious diseases, updating immunizations, and assessing developmental status; special medical and development issues; working with school systems and assessing traditional and alternative therapies; and a discussion of long-term challenges and outcomes for internationally adopted children. This volume will be of value to health professionals, teachers, therapists, and those who are involved in any way with internationally adopted children and young adults and their families.

Offers information and advice about adopting a foreign child, from who may adopt to working with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service

With knowledge and compassion, Caring for Your Adopted Child offers the wisdom that adoptive parents need to provide the best possible care for their children. Whether a child joins a family through domestic adoption, international adoption, or foster care, he or she may have needs that require additional consideration. The coauthors, both adoptive parents, weave professional and personal experiences with essential information on: - Partnering with a pediatrician before adoption - Helping a child transition into a family - Understanding health issues and conditions that are more prevalent in children who are adopted - Supporting a child's emotional health and attachment - And promoting positive adoption conversation as a child matures This comprehensive resource offers trusted parenting advice from a leading adoption medicine expert and the American Academy of Pediatrics, focusing on the physical and emotional well-being of adopted children.