| Adopting Special Needs Children: Clubfoot |
The topic of adopting special needs children is something I'd like to
tackle on my clubfoot website as it is becoming more and more popular
for American families to seek out children from other countries who have
clubfoot or some other special need, deformity or disability (mental or
physical).
While a very noble and honorable venture, it certainly is not one to be
taken lightly, nor is it a task for the feint of heart as struggling through
the red tape and financial costs can get very discouraging.
Adopting any special needs child should only be considered by those
parents who can sincerely live up to the stress and financial strains that
will be associated with the treatment options.
As far as birth defects and deformities go, however, clubfoot could very
well be one of the easiest and less expensive to cure.
In the photo above we see a three year old girl adopted from China who
has obvious bilateral clubfeet. Treatment with the Ponseti Method
brought her feet around to normal. True, this child did have surgery on
her feet, but the Ponseti Method's serial casting was used extensively
prior to surgery to achieve as much correction as possible, allowing the
surgery to be less invasive and more successful.
Treated with the Ponseti Method, an infant with no prior treatment could
look forward to a 95% chance of growing up on normal, healthy feet.
Older children to around age 3 can also look forward to excellent results
depending first on how severe their clubfoot is, and secondly, what kind
of treatments the child may have undergone in his or her home country
prior to the adoption.
A good rule of thumb might be this: If you are planning to adopt a
clubfooted child and the child has had no prior treatment, wait until the
child is home with you then start treatment with a physician who is highly
skilled in the Ponseti Method. Your best plan would be to arrange for
travel to Iowa City, Iowa to see the specialists at the Ponseti Clubfoot
Clinic which is the mecca of clubfoot treatment worldwide. If the child's
home country / orphanage suggests starting treatment prior to the
adoption being finalized, refuse if you are given the option.
Poor treatment in the form of improper casting and/or surgery can do
much more harm than no treatment with this common birth defect.
Aside from the University of Iowa's Clubfoot Informational website linked
above (Ponseti Clubfoot Clinic), a prospective clubfoot adoption parent
would be wise to read the Global-HELP booklet that is available for free
on line which includes a more medical version and a "parents" version.
Both will help a prospective parent understand this birth defect and the
treatment options available.
As with any potential special needs adoption, a parent should do
extensive research and be well versed regarding the facts as well as the
treatment expected surrounding the birth defect the child suffers.
It is unfortunate there is so much red tape to wade through when willing
families are eager to take these special babies in to their homes and
hearts. Financial road blocks often stop the process cold, leaving
another child homeless, growing up with out the love of a family. If you
or a loved one is attempting an international adoption of a special needs
child, there are those who have paved the way before you.
One such parent is Joyce, the proud mother of the little girl from China
mentioned at the top of this page.
She writes: Please feel free to promote the fact that Allison
came to our family by adoption and I'd be happy to talk to
anyone about that and adopting an older child.
Unfortunately we didn't discover a lot of this assistance
till we had gone way in debt with all the airline tickets,
travel, medical, and all after just paying for a second
adoption.
I was told NO so many times by supervisors as well as
regular workers at the state that we didn't qualify (for
financial assistance) and spent months trying to when
my husband finally said to stop as it was taking too much
time and wasn't worth it.
When someone asked me how we were doing it, I said
you just figure out a way, and that's why they have home
equity loans which is what we had to do. We know
better now, and I want to help other families get the help
they are promised and that they deserve to bring these
babies home to loving families.
I don't want to see another family have to go through that
financial stress so I tell everyone I talk to about it. I tell
them from the beginning not to stop and not to accept no
for an answer.
I would like to help people get financial help if needed
for the medical needs during a child adoption process.
Joyce cjjidaho@netzero.net
tackle on my clubfoot website as it is becoming more and more popular
for American families to seek out children from other countries who have
clubfoot or some other special need, deformity or disability (mental or
physical).
While a very noble and honorable venture, it certainly is not one to be
taken lightly, nor is it a task for the feint of heart as struggling through
the red tape and financial costs can get very discouraging.
Adopting any special needs child should only be considered by those
parents who can sincerely live up to the stress and financial strains that
will be associated with the treatment options.
- In other words, adopting special needs
children may be in vogue, but much like
weddings, there is the whole business of
marriage after the glitter fades away. (does
Mommie Dearest ring any bells?) Once the child is home with you
and suffering through the adjustment process and clubfoot
treatment process, and the whole being-a-child-upsetting-your-tidy-
applecart, the honeymoon could very well be over if the parent has
not committed himself and herself to the long haul ahead of them.
As far as birth defects and deformities go, however, clubfoot could very
well be one of the easiest and less expensive to cure.
In the photo above we see a three year old girl adopted from China who
has obvious bilateral clubfeet. Treatment with the Ponseti Method
brought her feet around to normal. True, this child did have surgery on
her feet, but the Ponseti Method's serial casting was used extensively
prior to surgery to achieve as much correction as possible, allowing the
surgery to be less invasive and more successful.
Treated with the Ponseti Method, an infant with no prior treatment could
look forward to a 95% chance of growing up on normal, healthy feet.
Older children to around age 3 can also look forward to excellent results
depending first on how severe their clubfoot is, and secondly, what kind
of treatments the child may have undergone in his or her home country
prior to the adoption.
A good rule of thumb might be this: If you are planning to adopt a
clubfooted child and the child has had no prior treatment, wait until the
child is home with you then start treatment with a physician who is highly
skilled in the Ponseti Method. Your best plan would be to arrange for
travel to Iowa City, Iowa to see the specialists at the Ponseti Clubfoot
Clinic which is the mecca of clubfoot treatment worldwide. If the child's
home country / orphanage suggests starting treatment prior to the
adoption being finalized, refuse if you are given the option.
Poor treatment in the form of improper casting and/or surgery can do
much more harm than no treatment with this common birth defect.
Aside from the University of Iowa's Clubfoot Informational website linked
above (Ponseti Clubfoot Clinic), a prospective clubfoot adoption parent
would be wise to read the Global-HELP booklet that is available for free
on line which includes a more medical version and a "parents" version.
Both will help a prospective parent understand this birth defect and the
treatment options available.
As with any potential special needs adoption, a parent should do
extensive research and be well versed regarding the facts as well as the
treatment expected surrounding the birth defect the child suffers.
- Finding Financial Help to
Assist with International Adoptions
It is unfortunate there is so much red tape to wade through when willing
families are eager to take these special babies in to their homes and
hearts. Financial road blocks often stop the process cold, leaving
another child homeless, growing up with out the love of a family. If you
or a loved one is attempting an international adoption of a special needs
child, there are those who have paved the way before you.
One such parent is Joyce, the proud mother of the little girl from China
mentioned at the top of this page.
She writes: Please feel free to promote the fact that Allison
came to our family by adoption and I'd be happy to talk to
anyone about that and adopting an older child.
Unfortunately we didn't discover a lot of this assistance
till we had gone way in debt with all the airline tickets,
travel, medical, and all after just paying for a second
adoption.
I was told NO so many times by supervisors as well as
regular workers at the state that we didn't qualify (for
financial assistance) and spent months trying to when
my husband finally said to stop as it was taking too much
time and wasn't worth it.
When someone asked me how we were doing it, I said
you just figure out a way, and that's why they have home
equity loans which is what we had to do. We know
better now, and I want to help other families get the help
they are promised and that they deserve to bring these
babies home to loving families.
I don't want to see another family have to go through that
financial stress so I tell everyone I talk to about it. I tell
them from the beginning not to stop and not to accept no
for an answer.
I would like to help people get financial help if needed
for the medical needs during a child adoption process.
Joyce cjjidaho@netzero.net
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