For many families, adoption can be an extremely rewarding experience.
If you’re adopting, or have adopted, a child from another part of the
world, the transition can be especially difficult.
“It takes time for a child to adjust to a new family and a new
country,” says Doug Swanson, MD, Medical Director of the International
Adoption Clinic at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. “It all
depends on the age of the child; it can take a few weeks for a younger
child as opposed to a few months for an older child. A child coming
from foster care where there was more one on one interaction can have
an easier transition than a child coming from a large orphanage where
there were a low number of caretakers.”
Dr. Swanson says there are many ways to make your child’s transition
a smooth one. He recommends:
- Learning about your child’s culture and ease her into new
customs and habits.
- Learn to speak some of his language.
- In the beginning, limit visitors so she isn’t
overwhelmed.
- Establish a daily routine, such as consistent bed, bath and
meal times.
- Be patient, a strong relationship between the both of you will
take time to develop.
If your child does have medical records, Dr. Swanson says they can
be very limited, incomplete or even unreliable. He recommends parents
schedule an appointment with an international adoption clinic or
pediatrician right away.
“Fifty percent of the children we screen do have an underlying
medical problem that was not identified in the country of origin. A
majority of the problems are infectious disease related. We see
children with parasites, hepatitis and tuberculosis,” Dr. Swanson
says. “With immediate medical care and a little patience your child
can grow to be very happy and healthy.”
