Resources for International Adoption

 

 

Parenting Internationally Adopted Children

Adoptive Family Resource Packet (from KidsFirst)

This is a broad resource guide to:

      • Medical and Counseling Contacts
      • Adoption-Friendly Language
      • Adoption Books
      • Funding Resources for Adoption
      • Promoting Attachment and Bonding
      • Embracing Culture, Heritage, and Race
      • Arriving Home with Your Child
      • Creating a Life Book

Dr Federici’s 10 Session Series on Raising Challenging Children

Dr Federici speaks to the challenges of raising young people successfully out of orphanages and the special challenges and successful strategies for growing them to adulthood. This 10 video series on Vimeo is available for pay-per-view download.

Dr. Federici’s Help For The Hopeless Child​

A Guide for Families (with Special Discussion for Assessing and Treating the Post-Institutionalized Child)

Adopting the Hurt Child: Hope for Families with Special-Needs Kids

A Guide for Parents and Professionals by Gregory Keck and Regina Kupecky can be purchased on Amazon.com

Parenting the Hurt Child: Helping Adoptive Families Heal and Grow by Gregory Keck and Regina Kupecky

This paperback offers effective suggestions, wisdom, and advice to parent the hurt child in your life and can be purchased on Amazon.com.

Health and Developmental Considerations for Children Adopted Internationally

Adoption Medicine: Improving the Health and Wellbeing of Adopted Children

Todd (2016)
Adoption Advocate, 92
Offers an overview of adoption medicine, including the roles pediatricians and specialized adoption medicine physicians play before, during, and after the adoption process.

Health Considerations

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Provides information about the health of children adopted from other countries and the health information that is provided to prospective adoptive parents. Describes the medical exam required for all internationally adopted children.

International Adoption: Immigrant and Refugee Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Discusses health problems that may be present in children adopted internationally and links to news resources relating to health considerations for these children.

International Adoption Project

University of Minnesota
Describes a clinic that specializes in medical services for children who were adopted internationally.

Medical Issues in Adopted Children: How Can Adoption Agencies Best Support Parents Before, During, and After Adoption?

Schulte (2020)
Adoption Advocate, 142
Compiles information for adoption professionals and parents on handling medical conditions or medical issues in adopted children and when an adoption medicine physician should be involved.
Preadoption and Postadoption Medical Assessments

Adopting a Child From Another Country (Intercountry Adoption)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Outlines medical considerations for when adopting a child from another country and highlights the importance of medical reviews as part of the process.

Comprehensive Health Evaluation of the Newly Adopted Child

Jones, Schulte, & Council on Foster Care, Adoption, and Kinship Care (2019)
Pediatrics, 143(5)
Addresses the elements of a complete health evaluation of a newly adopted child, including the preadoption visit, current and past medical history, and referral for diagnostic evaluation.

International Adoption Medicine (S1:E18)Podcast]

Children’s Hospital Colorado (2017)
Offers a podcast featuring experts in the field of international adoption discussing medical support for families adopting internationally. The discussion explores why international adoptions require a different medical approach than domestic adoptions and why pre- and postadoption medical assessments are necessary. The podcast also discusses expectations and guidelines for these assessments, and more.

Internationally Adopted Children: Important Information for Parents

HealthyChildren.org
Provides an overview of medical evaluations for children adopted from other countries, including what to expect during the first medical visit, a checklist of what a doctor should do, information on growth and nutritional issues, and more.

Medical Examination

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Reviews how prospective adoptive parents should request a comprehensive medical evaluation of their adopted child and should be aware of the unique health issues children adopted internationally may face.

The Role of Pre-Placement Medical Review in Contemporary Adoptions: Setting Expectations, Assessing a Child’s Needs, and Supporting Successful Family Formation

Johnson (2019)
Adoption Advocate, 131
Discusses pediatricians’ roles in the adoption process and describes how new knowledge about adversity in early childhood has expanded the medical field’s understanding about risk factors for medical, developmental, emotional, and behavioral issues in adopted children.

Intercountry adoption clinics and doctors

Foster Care, Domestic and International Adoption

University of Minnesota
Describes a clinic that specializes in medical services for children who were adopted internationally.

International Adoption Center

Cincinnati’s Children Hospital Medical Center
Describes the services provided by the Center, including pre-adoption consultation, postadoption evaluation, and its research program.

International Adoption Clinic

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Provides services before, during, and after international adoption to help assess and manage medical needs commonly seen in adoptions from other countries.

International Adoption Health Program

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Supports the healthcare needs of families who have adopted internationally and provides pre- and postadoption counseling, therapy, and other services for children with special developmental needs.

International Adoption Medical Clinics

International Adoption Help (2017)
Supplies a directory of clinics and doctors who specialize in international adoption medicine.

Program-Specific Information about Children Available

International Adoption Children Info (from KidsFirst)​