Our China Adoption Program

We are proud to say that shortly after China opened its doors to international adoption in 1995. Children’s House International was accepted as a registered international adoption agency in China. Our China adoption program has a long standing history of commitment to the Chinese children and their adoptive families. Since 1995, our staff has been and is still going strong, steadfast in their commitment with a special heart for children with special needs. Our China staff has over 60 years of combined experience in China.

Please join our “village” to learn more and share about parenting a Chinese chld with medical needs by joining our listserv:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CHIWaitingkids/

Our China Waiting Child Status

In 2001, Children’s House International was entrusted with the honorable status of an approved agency for The Waiting Child Program and in September of 2010, granted children specifically from the Special Focus Program. We pride ourselves on advocating for those children that seem to have the smallest of voices- but need us most!

We take this responsibility very seriously, which is why we’ve maintained a strong reputation for child advocacy for waiting children. We have placed over 600 special needs children into forever families and supported programs which sponsored medical intervention for children remaining in China.

We know the fears, hopes, anxieties, and dreams of adopting a child with medical needs. Therefore, we are happy to “hold adoptive parents hands” as we realize that they are putting one of the most profound events in their lives in someone else’s hands. That’s our commitment to the children of China and we love doing it!

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but will never break.

-Based on an ancient Chinese belief

Is that red thread pulling you to China?

Adoption Forms and Fees

For more information including our application, agency retainer agreement and financial agreements and statistical information on: the number of adoption placements per year for the prior 3 calendar years, the number of placements that remain intact, the number of families who apply to adopt each year, and the number of waiting children eligible for adoption, click here.

For more information email: inquiry@chiadopt.com

China Adoption Process

China’s International adoption program is considered one of the best worldwide mainly because of the strict guidelines China follows to protect their children. The Ministry of Civil Affairs is the department of the State Council that legislates all matters of social welfare in China.
In 1979, the Chinese government implemented a one-child policy in an effort to control population growth. Unfortunately as a result it reinforced the practice of abandoning girl children, most of them newborns. Today, many provinces no longer enforce the one-child policy, but the pressure to have one child is still very present and 95% of the children abandoned are still female. This is usually because of, but not limited to the following reasons:

• Chinese society still for the most part disapproves of unwed mothers, so therefore any child born out of wedlock is liable to be abandoned; even a boy.
• Cultural and economic factors continue to influence the number of children abandoned.
• Sons are favored because they carry on the family name and are responsible for caring for their elderly parents. A campaign to promote the value of girls has now become part of an effort by the State Council and Ministry of Civil Affairs, supervised by Minister

China Centre for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) is the central governing authority that oversees all International adoptions in China under the direct leadership of Executive Director Lu Ying..

The CCCWA has established a relatively stable procedure for working with International adoptive families and kept its International program steadily open for more than a decade. Orphanages and adoption agencies must be approved and registered with the CCCWA to place Chinese orphans.

Children’s House International has been a licensed non-profit agency registered with the CCCWA since 1995.

The CCCWA follows strict guidelines as well as creates a generous paper trail in order to keep track of all orphaned children available for International adoption. In order for a baby to become “paper ready” for adoption, the baby once abandoned, must first go through a series of steps. It takes about 4-6 months for a child to become “paper ready” for International adoption.

• Medical examination: The baby is immediately taken to the hospital where a thorough examination is undergone to determine the sex, age and overall health of the child. The health of the child determines his or her placement in a social or children’s welfare institute and whether or not the child is healthy enough to be adopted.
• Finding Policy: The child’s picture and location of finding is placed in the newspaper and on posters in the local vicinity for three months. If no legitimate family member comes forward the child is officially put up for adoption and is therefore eligible for International adoption.
• In the meantime, the child is placed officially in a welfare institute and then possibly into a foster care program affiliated with that welfare institute.
• The CCCWA monitors the adoption process very closely to ensure that children receive adequate care while living in welfare homes (orphanages) and foster homes. Foster care is becoming more popular in China and many welfare homes turn to local foster families to care for the children. The purpose of foster care is to improve the lives of orphaned children and more and more Chinese families are applying to become foster families to give more children the opportunity to receive the benefits of foster care. To uphold strict standards the local Civil Affairs Office and the orphanage work together to supervise the orphan’s health and wellbeing within the foster family setting.
• Once the child is identified as legible for international adoption their paperwork is filed and the CCCWA will placed their file in process.

For more information email: inquiry@chiadopt.com

Children Available

China Special Needs Waiting Child Program

China’s Special Needs Program is where our hearts have always been drawn. They are the children that need us most. Through this wonderful program, we are privileged to locate adoptive parents for children with medical needs. We have worked tirelessly for over 15 years to match adoptive parents with their children from China. Both the International Specialist and the China Waiting Child Advocate and Resource Coordinator have adopted from China personally and experience the joy of parenting children from China everyday.

The CCCWA has granted our agency Waiting Child status in 2001. Today we receive referrals for these children through China’s Shared List and the new Special Focus Program. Many of these children’s medical needs may be easily treated or repaired in the U.S. and simply have not been addressed in the orphanage due to a lack of resources.

Children available for adoption

• Special needs children are ready for referral from nine months to 13 years of age.
• Most children are between the ages of 2 and 4 years old and currently more than 60 percent are boys with correctable special needs, such as cleft lip and palate, birthmarks, heart conditions, and clubbed hands or feet.
• A number of these children already had their conditions surgically corrected, but because they had the condition previously, they remain in the “special needs” program.
• Many older and special needs children are currently waiting for adoptive families. These children’s adoptions are expedited under Chinese law.
• Children have a full medical screening ( that includes testing for Hepatitis B and HIV) and social information are provided.
• Healthy infants are also referred; however the current timeframe to complete an adoption is over five years. Children’s House International is no longer accepting applications for this program. We feel that with so many special needs children waiting for families we would best serve the children by advocating for these tiny voices.

Right NOW there are over 2,000 children on the Shared Agency List of Children with Special Needs waiting for their chance to have a family…to have a future. It is not 20 or 200 children, but 2,000 little individuals who wait on that list. We have always advocated for children with special needs. We know how many personal stories, personal tragedies, personal dreams and personal miracles this number represents.

The Shared Agency List is composed of files very much like those Children’s House International has seen in the past….and we all remember how magnificent all those children are and continue to be in their new families!

There are precious girls with cleft palates, energetic toddler boys with limb differences, delightful pre-school aged girls with Hepatitis B, bright school aged boys with visual impairments, and hopeful 8 and 9 year olds and even pre-teens who are physically healthy, but teetering on the threshold of aging out of adoptive opportunities.

As always in China, most children have been abandoned and information on their birth family’s doesn’t exist, which means there is virtually no background or health history available.

Is your child waiting for you on a list somewhere now? Call us for more information 360-383-0623 or email at: inquiry@chiadopt.org

For more information email: inquiry@chiadopt.com

Adoptive Parent Requirements

While your adoption journey may begin today, adoptive parents should understand that adoption is a lifelong commitment. A successful homestudy plays a vital role in helping on your preparation to become adoptive parents. Our trained and caring professionals’ respect your confidentiality was we work together to educate and create an accurate portrait of you as future adoptive parents. The home study is an invaluable first step toward parenthood.

Approved Home Study

An approved home study preferably completed by a COA Hague accredited social worker who will ensure that all of the Chinese requirements for families are met in the home study process. The home study begins with adoptive parent education and a thorough evaluation of your family that will include several background clearances, medical evaluations and financial stability. Your home study is foundation on which USCIS and in country approvals for international adoption are based. They enable adoptive parents to learn, reflect, and prepare for parenting. It involves opening your hearts, minds, and home to a social worker through a series of meetings and gives you the opportunity to ask all the questions you may have as well.

USCIS Immigration Approval

USCIS immigration approval is required for all international adoptions (this includes an FBI fingerprint results). This approval allows your newly adopted child to receive a VISA from the US Embassy and enter the US and become a citizen.

China Adoptive Parent Requirements

Married Couples

• Married couples must be at least 30 years of age and under 55 at the time the dossier is logged into China. If it is the first marriage for both the husband and wife, they must be married a minimum of 2 years.
• If either the husband or wife has been married previously, their current marriage must be a minimum of 5 years. Up to two divorces each for both the husband and wife may be allowed.
• Adoptive Parents must have 4 or fewer children under the age of 18 in the home at the time of dossier registration. (Family waivers may be requested on a case-by-case basis.)
• The youngest child in the home must be at least 1 year old at the time the dossier arrives in China.
• Adoptive Parents must be in reasonable health and have no medical condition that would limit their ability to parent a child. Severe diseases that affect life expectancy will not be allowed. Medications for serious depression, mania or anxiety may need further medical information. For other medical issues that may be decided on a case-by-case basis, please contact CHI for specific medical issues.
• Neither Adoptive Parent may have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 40. You can calculate your BMI using this website.
• Adoptive Parents must meet the CCCWA yearly income requirements of a minimum of $30,000 for a childless couple or $10,000 per person in the household and an additional $10,000 for the newly adopted child. Another example: a family of four should make a yearly income of $50,000. That is $10,000 each for the four members already in the household plus an additional $10,000 to cover the child to be adopted.
• Adoptive Parents must be able to report a minimum net worth of $80,000.This can include your home, all household possessions, computers, jewelry, vehicles, pensions plans, retirement benefits and 401K to name a few examples. Please call our office for more information on what may be included.
• Adoptive Parents should have no criminal records. On a case-by-case basis, consideration will be given when either parent meets all of the following conditions: has less than 3 criminal records of slight severity and have resulted in no sever outcomes AND the time of correction has been at least 10 years ago.
• China will not allow parents to adopt with any history of domestic violence, sex abuse, child abandonment or abuse.
• Adoptive Parents may be accepted on a case-by-case basis with an alcohol conviction if there have been no issues within the past 10 years.
• At least one parent MUST travel to China to complete the adoption there. CHI recommends that both parents go as the experience it is truly life changing. Length of stay in China is approximately 11-14 days.

Single Women

Government departments and adoption agencies in receiving countries, in order to promote special needs child adoption and guarantee the basic interests of the orphaned and disabled children, CCAA decides to accept the adoption applications from female single applicants to adopt according to the requirements listed in this notice, starting from March 15, 2011:
• Female single applicants are allowed to adopt special focus children listed on the special Needs System of CCAA.
• One applicant can only adopt one special focus child at a time, with an interval of at least one year between two adoptions.
• The applicant shall have reached the age of 30 years and are under 50. For applicants over 50, the age difference between the child to be adopted and the applicant shall be no more than 45 years.
• The applicant shall provide her civil status certificate. Unmarried applicants shall provide certification for being single and non-homosexual; divorced applicants shall provide the divorce certificate of the last marriage; and widowed applicants shall provide the death certificate of their ex-spouse.
• The reason of being single and attitude towards marriage. Applicants shall have clear indication of willingness to appoint male figures as role models for the adopted child, and welcome male friends to join family gatherings.
• Applicants shall have received inter-country adoption training and training specifically for special needs child adoption so as to understand fully the physical and psychological needs of special needs children.
• Detailed nurturing and rehabilitation plan. Applicants shall be qualified personally and socially for caring special needs children and have wide social and family supporting network which can provide assistance any time.
• Guardians appointed by the applicants shall provide written statement as consent to act as the guardian of the adopted child. X. If the applicant has a stable relationship and lives with a male partner, t he requirements of couple applicants shall be applied.
• Applicants shall be healthy both physically and mentally according to the requirements by CCAA for prospective adoptive couples.
• Applicants shall be law abiding with no criminal records, and have good moral quality and conduct
• The family annual income shall reach $10,000 per family member, including the prospective adoptee and the family net assets value should reach $100,000.
• The applicant shall have good medical insurance which can cover the medical expense of the adopted child.
• Applicants shall be experienced in child caring or be occupied in child-related fields, such as doctor, nurse, teacher, child psychological counselor, etc. It’s best that the applicants have already had successful experience in caring for special needs children.
• The number of children in the applicant’s family under the age of 18 years shall be no more than two, and the youngest one should have reached the age of 6 years old.
• Applicants shall be fully prepared for adopting a special focus child.
• Social workers shall provide the following information fully and timely in the home study reports besides family visit interviews: Adoption motive. The decision to adopt a special focus child shall be well-considered. Applicants shall be capable of caring for a special need child and be responsible for the well-being of the child.

For more information email: inquiry@chiadopt.com

Travel Process

The country requires that one parent travel to China to bring their child home. We strongly encourage both adoptive parents to travel as it truly is a life changing experience and one you can never duplicate.

Our travel providers are professional and well-versed in adoption procedure and will make sure that all necessary steps are completed smoothly. Once you exit the plane, our travel provider will assist you during your entire stay in China.

The benefits of our agencies travel program

• A complete itinerary is reviewed with your international adoption specialist and case manager and given to families before they depart.
• We have a long-term relationship with our travel partners which allow our families to have personalized small travel groups at an affordable price.
• The smaller travel groups allow families more flexibility to tailor adoption trips to the personal preferences of each adoptive family.

And you won’t need to worry about being alone in China; the guides will help you through every stage of your stay.

We help with the following services:

1. Arranging meetings with the relative departments necessary to complete the adoption (civil affairs, notary bureau, and social welfare institutions).
2. Planning the schedules for visiting adoptive families including cross-country and local transportation, airplanes, trains, buses, and personal drivers.
3. Arranging accommodations and meals.
4. Providing a guide in the province to assist with adoption formalities and paperwork, sightseeing, and any requested shopping.
5. Providing a guide in Guangzhou to assist with consulate paperwork, medical exams, and visa issuance, as well as any desired sightseeing or shopping.
6. Providing translators for adoptive families throughout their entire stay in China.
7. Except for your international flights, all of your travel will be arranged by our in-China travel agency. CHI has used the same China Travel Service provider since the outset of our China adoption program.

Visiting your child’s Social Welfare Institute (SWI)

Whenever possible, our travel providers are more than happy to arrange a visit to your child’s Social Welfare Institute. However, please remember that your child’s SWI may not be open to the public, or it may be too far away from the provincial capital where you will be staying, so a visit may not be an option for you.

General Travel Process Timeline

Travel Approval (TA) is issued by the CCCWA and you have three months to travel to China. If you are unable to travel during that time span, Children’s House International must contact the CCCWA on your behalf and let them know why there has been a delay.

Once we receive that wonderful TA we go to work requesting your U.S. Consulate appointment, since that is the last thing you will do before you return home with your child. Usually these dates are 2-6 weeks out depending on the time of year and both US and Chinese holidays. When we’ve confirmed your Consulate appointment we request your child’s adoption dates in province and away you go on the most incredible journey of your life.

Sightseeing and Touring in China

Many people want to spend a few days at the beginning of their trip in Beijing, and if this is something that interests you we highly recommend it. After all, this may be your last chance to enjoy some rest and relaxation for quite awhile!

It’s also a fantastic opportunity to experience first-hand the culture and history of your child’s homeland. You are welcome to arrange your own tours and sightseeing expeditions or you may request our travel provider’s assistance who are more than happy to help arrange tours of the major sightseeing venues, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and Tiananmen Square.

The guides are knowledgeable about the local area and serve competently as sightseeing guides. If you have specific shopping stops you would like to make or places you would like to visit, you are welcome to include those requests as we finalize your travel plans. Our travel providers always try to accommodate such requests.

However, because the primary focus of their business is international adoption, they don’t have the resources to expend on arranging elaborate, detailed touring itineraries. If there is something you would like to see or do, don’t hesitate to request this during your pre-travel arrangements and we will let you know if it is feasible.

For more information email: inquiry@chiadopt.com

Waiting Children

PENDING – Ava, female, DOB 8/2010, SN unilateral repaired cleft lip, cleft palate

Ava is a gentle girl who like to play with other children. She has more of a quiet personality but is quick to smile and enjoys social settings. Ava has been in her SWI since she was a newborn.

From Ava’s reports:

Ava was received to be raised by this institute on Aug 8, 2010. A physical exam by the doctors in this institute found that she developed normally. The female baby suffered disability of congenital cleft lip and palate.

Physical and intellectual development in growth:
PE on admission: height: 50 cm, weight: 3.1 kg, chest size: 32 cm, head size: 33.5 cm, foot length: 8 cm, fontanel: 1.5X1.5 cm, normal development, moderate nutrition, umbilical cord not fallen off, heart and lungs (-), liver and spleen (-), free motion of limbs, suffering disability of congenital cleft lip and palate, no other abnormal findings.

Ava’s physical exam on Nov 10, 2011: height: 77 cm, weight: 10 kg, chest size: 46 cm and head size: 46 cm, teeth: 7, has congenital cleft lip and palate, postoperative cleft lip and others are normal.

Living habits:
Get up at 5:30, nap at 12:00-14:00, go to bed at 20:00, have 180ml milk at 6:00, 11:00, and 19:00, 80ml rice soup, biscuits, cake or steamed egg at 9:30, 80g flour food soup or fine noodles, vegetables, fruit, minced meat at 16:30.

Personality: quiet, extroverted, has a ready smile, quick reaction, like plushy toys.

Dated
Nov 27, 2011

PENDING – ASPEN, Female DOB 5/2009
Special Need: congenital absence of left eyeball; 2. secretory otitis media and hearing loss

Aspen is a clever little pixie who delights in playing with and making a mess of her bedding like many two years old find humorous. Her physical and intellectual growth has been good but she didn’t always respond to the aunties requests. At her adoption physical exam it was found that Aspen had nasty ear infections in both ears. It sure is hard to hear and respond where your ears are filled with gunk. Long term ear infections can damage hearing. Having a hard time hearing would also explain why Aspen doesn’t talk as much either. Aspen’s aunties feel that she is “clever and lovely” and she certainly is!

From her reports dated 5/2011

Under the excellent care of the caretaker, she develops well and has normal spine, limbs and intelligence development. At the age of 2-3months she can visually follow moving objects on right eye. At the age of 4-5months she can smile when teased, can hold her head up while lying on the stomach. At the age of 6-7months she can transfer from supine position to lateral position, can make sound of yiya, and would be excited when seeing the food. At the age of 8-9months she can sit leaning on the support, can grasp the toy on her own initiative; when she grasp the toy with making sound, she can shake it all the time. At the age of 10-12months she can sit alone steadily, can jump up and down with help when standing, can have milk with hands holding the milk bottle, and can speak to herself when playing the toy, such as the sound of yaya and da da etc. in Chinese.

At the age of 13-15months she can stand with hands holding something for support, as well as walk back and forth. She can stretch hands out to his familiar people. At the age of 1.5years she can take the toy out of container, can imitate clapping hands, can be cooperative of putting on clothes, and can say mother and aunt vaguely in Chinese. Now she can walk alone, can squat down to pick up the toy on the floor and stand up, then walk. She often crawls to other children’s bed and plays with the quilt and bedclothes. If you ask her to get down from the bed, she doesn’t do it, and the aunt has to take her down. She likes taking off shoes. Now she is 83cm in height, 11.5kg in weight, 45cm in head size and 48cm in chest size, 13cm in foot length. She has grown out 8 superior teeth and 8 inferior teeth.

On May.20 2011 she had hearing examination in Children’s Hospital and the reports showed: secretory otitis media and hearing loss. She was given anti-inflammatory and symptomatic treatment.

Daily life and personality: Aspen has group life in the institute and daily routines. She gets up at 6:30, naps from 11:30 to 13:30, and goes to bed at 20:30; she likes to sleep with the light on, and has moderate sleep. She has three meals per day and two additional meals, has milk, porridge and bread etc. for breakfast at 7:30, has dumplings, noodle with meat soup and rice for lunch at 11:30 and has porridge, vegetable, milk and bean milk for supper at 18:00. Every day she needs to add steamed egg, fruits and biscuit etc at 9:00 and 15:30. She has average appetite and is not choosy to food, as well as has normal defecation and urination. Bath time is 15:30. She takes part in outdoor activities at 8:00 and 16:30. She is outgoing, active, and has a ready smile; she is fond of playing with toys; she is not talkative; she doesn’t respond very much when called by the auntie. But we feel she is clever and lovely. She likes playing games with children in the same room. She is close to the caretaker and her favorite activity is when the auntie takes her out to play with children. She is a lovely girl.

Beau, Male DOB 1/2010
Special Needs: Congenital Equinovarus

Beau is a cuddly little guy whose favorite activity is rocking on a wooden horse. He can stand up for himself and not take any guff from the bigger kids. He adores bread. Since his feet are varus, he needs support for walking.

From his reports:

At present the child is 1 year and 10 months old who has happy life here with a regular diet and a good appetite. He likes bread. He can sleep alone in his crib in a sound sleep. He is extroverted, active, and restless. He prefers to be in s noisy environment. He likes being close to the caregivers and he is willing to be cuddled and teased by a caregiver. He is timid in that he sometimes cries when seeing strangers. When he is unhappy, like the other children don’t share their toys, he will cry or grab their toys. When he is bullied by other children, he would point them out and report to a caregiver.

He is very cute and all caregivers love him, call him by his nickname. He gets along well with other children too. He likes swaying his body along with music together with the caregivers and other children. He likes listening to piano music. He could play well on his own and he likes playing all kinds of toys at which time he concentrates on it quite much. Typically, he likes riding on a wooden horse. He has development delay of language skills. He could call “mom, ayi”.

Since he has disabled lower limbs, he has limited motions via both lower limbs. He could take steps while holding onto bedrails. He can imitate adults’ motions such as “goodbye, flying kiss”. When seeing a caregiver feeding other children, he would open hands for food too. He could feed himself food but he still needs to be fed meals by a caregiver. He loves toy planes and has a favorite caregiver.

Signed
12/12/11

CASPIAN, Male DOB 5/2008
Special Need: Strabismus, low muscle tone in lower legs

Price Caspian. Yes, this princely little boy is not only striking to look at but is described as active and brave. Caspian has low muscular tension in both his lower legs but he is able to walk with someone holding his hand. We have video of him being quite nimble in walking with the aid of a chair or improvised walker. In March, he will be met by CHI Waiting Child Advocate Stefani Ellison who is eager to get spend time with him and get more video. Caspian is a delightful boy!

From his reports:

Caspian has a good appetite and he is not a picky eater. He loves rice pancake snacks. He has slept in his crib alone with a sound sleep. He is extroverted, active, restless, and brave. He is not afraid of being with strangers and he likes being close to the caregivers and being in a noisy environment. He is very happy being with caregivers. If he is mad or unhappy he would turn his head to another side and ignore you. Sometimes, he would bully his fellow friends. When a caregiver is angry, he would say, “Auntie is great”.

Caspian likes playing games with caregivers and other children, swaying his body along with music. He enjoys the TV program Wisdom Tree. He could play quite well and he likes playing with all kinds of toys especially cars, at which time he concentrates on it quite much. He has development delay of language skills. At present, he could say “dad, mom, go, light, hello ayi, ayi is great, mom cuddles me.” He has low muscular tension of both lower limbs and he could not walk. He is able to take steps with one hand held though it is not stable. He could walk fast while pushing a chair, climb up a chair or bed freely and he likes imitating adults’ motions such as “goodbye, flying kiss”.

Caspian can point out mouth, nose, eyes and ears as well as other daily used goods with hands. He can feed himself food, hold a milk bottle to drink milk, however, he still needs to be fed meals by a caregiver. He could be cooperative with caregivers in terms of washing face and hands, taking on and off clothes. He cannot go to washroom by himself. He loves cars and his favorite caregiver. His favorite food is rice pancake snacks. Now he is 12kg in weight, 80cm in height, 47cm in head size, 49cm in chest, 20 milk teeth.

2011-12-12

Clinton, Male DOB 5/2010
Special Need: CHD (ASD), urogenital difference

Who can resist a baby in a basket? A precious, treasured baby in a basket is little Clinton. Clinton started out having a hard time keeping his milk down. There can still be more chubba on this Bubba. His foster mother is working on that! Clinton is a determined boy who WILL NOT and DOES NOT give up! This reports state:

On admission, Clinton was not easy to feed, and he easily vomited after drinking milk. His foster mother was very diligent and would feed him some rice gruel before the milk and this helped. If he eats rice there will be no problem. Although he does not vomit so much he is not fat, and he is still very thin. In the midmonth of May 2010, he began to turn over his body; at the beginning he would kick his legs and roll to his side even he had to work so hard.

Clinton has a good personality and he can stick to something and never give up. If he can not turn over he tries again, and he does this many times. He tries again and again. Through nearly half a month’s practice, now he can do free motion, just as a fish can be free in the water. Now Clinton can recognize people. When he sees strangers coming in his home he cries aloud, and when the people leave he will be ok.

Clinton had medical testing completed and his chromosome test showed he is definitely a boy. At the same time he was found to be suffering CHD; according to the foster mother, the heart disease never attacks him, and when he cries, there is no phenomenon of purple skin or ecphysesis.

Clinton now has a good appetite and is growing well.

Signed 2011-6-16

Collin, Male, DOB 7/2009
Special Need: mild syndactyly of second and third toes of both feet, scar on heel of right foot.

NON SPECICIAL FOCUS FILE SO FAMILY MUST BE DOSSIER READY OR SOON TO BE.

Collin is a happy, talkative little boy who loves to cuddle with his foster mother. Collin has a spectacular smile! He entered his SWI when he was a newborn and is currently living in foster care.

From his reports:

1) Description of the early days and the physical development:

The medical staff in this institute carried out a physical exam for the baby: general condition, infusion traces on the head, 32cm in head size, 31cm in chest size, 46cm in height and 3kg in weight, no deformity of eyes, ears, nose and mouth appearance, clear breathing sound of both lungs, no pathological murmurs heard in PC by AUSC, the incision sized 2x4cm on right footing and syndactyly of the second and third toe of both feet, no deformity of spine and no anus and normal genital organs. Preliminary diagnosis: syndactyly of the second and third toe of both feet.

2) Physical development
He was placed in a foster family on July.30 2009.Under scientific feeding in the family, the child developed well and his immunity has increased. Collin’s daily living schedule: get up at 7:00, have a nap for an hour at 13:00 and go to bed at 21:00, with moderate sleep; he has breakfast at 7:30, lunch at 12:00 and supper at 18:30; his staple food: rice, cooked wheaten food, meat, vegetable, fruits and snacks etc. He has a good appetite and dislikes to eat rice and vegetables. He likes to eat cooked wheaten food. Now he can walk alone with hands holding handrails, can pick up a pill with his thumb and index finger deftly, can stand alone steadily, can hold a pen with full hand and scribbles and is able to walk alone steadily. He can go upstairs and downstairs with hands against the all, can stand on one food for 2 seconds, can take a block out of the cup and put it into the cup, can knows “big” and “small”, can turn over pages of a book twice, can cover a bottle with its cap and can bang two blocks together. Now he can produce 3-5 words, know what “NO” means, can respond to other’s asking for his objects and be cooperative when put on clothes, can have continence of feces and urine in the daytime, point to eyes, ears, nose, mouth and hands with his fingers when asked (three of them will do) and knows “cold” “tired” and “hungry” means. He is fairly extroverted, is an active, restless and talkative and happy boy who has a ready smile. But sometimes he would lose his temper when in a bad mood. He is fond of listening to music and playing with all kinds of toys. He is quick in reaction and likes to play game with children. He is closest to his foster mother and likes to be cuddled and taken out to play by foster parents. He likes to play with toy cars.

3) Operation treatment and recovery
Collin hasn’t had any surgery for the time being. He has syndactyly of both feet (the second and third toes). He has good coordination capacity of limbs, can run and jump well; it doesn’t affect the child’s normal life.

4 Update development of the child
He’s updated PE results: height: 79cm, weight: 9.5kg, head size: 46cm, chest size: 58cm, No. of teeth: 10.

Dated
Dec.17 2011

PENDING – Eleanor, Female DOB 10/2009
Special Need: Mircrotia of left ear

Eleanor is named for the ever steady Eleanor Roosevelt. She enjoys meeting new people and is not timid, unless you are a nurse and then she will make sure you know she does not like to get poked with needles! She is lovely, charming and has a mind of her own. From her reports:

“Eleanor can use both hands grab toys. If she can not get the toy, she will bite the foster brother. If she sees the computer is on, she will walk to the computer and type on the key board. If she sees the graphs on the computer, she is happy. Eleanor likes to watch bi-lingual cartoons. She watches with attention and imitates the actions. She likes to listen to music. When she hears music, she will wave her body.

Eleanor is not afraid unfamiliar people. When her name is called by an unfamiliar person, she will smile at the person. She is afraid of needles. When she sees a nurse, she is quite afraid of walking to her, showing her fears. Eleanor likes to go downstairs to play and to go to parks to play. If grandma does not bring her to outside on time, she will bring her shoes and grab the hands of grandma and tell grandma ‘come’ and walk to the door.

Eleanor can follow simple commands. If her dad says ‘give electricity’, she will flash closed and opened her eyes and smile. If told ‘bye-bye’, she will wave her hand and gives a flying kiss. When Eleanor is unhappy, she will ‘wa-wa-wa’ crying. If she is crying, grandma will hold her, patting her back, talking to her, then she stops crying. Eleanor starts to talk now. She can say simple words as ‘dad, mom, grandma, come’.”

Dated 2011-11-01

FAITH, female, DOB 6/2007
Special Need: Mild soft cleft palate and developmental delay

Hold on to your hearts! We have a new cheerful and joyful addition to Children’s House International’s designated list of children. She is friends with little Neveah from our Special Focus Group 6. This SWI has a special place in CHI’s heart as in 2006 we partnered with Love Without Boundaries on Operation Happy Face. LWB has been able to implement and sponsor an excellent foster care program in this city.

The following is a comment from someone who knows her, “I’m surprised they are calling Faith developmentally delayed. She had a mild delay with speech, but is now talking. I’ve met her and she is a social butterfly and a favorite back at the SWI. The director adores her.”

And from Love Without Boundaries who sponsors her foster care she is said to be “happy, forever optimistic and just a true joy to be around”.

From her reports:

Faith was admitted to her SWI when she was approximately four months old

At the age of 6 months, under the financial assistance of the Love Without Boundaries, she left the welfare institute, and entered the foster family. Her foster mother looked after her carefully; her development was some delayed compared with peers; at the age of 7 months, when teased she laughed aloud for the first time, so her foster mother was as happy as a child.

At the age of 10 months, she could turn circles when lying on bed; her neck’s supportive ability was bad, which was always backward; she could make sounds only when crying; at the age of 1 year, she could walk in the walker; at the age of 1.5 years, she could walk with one hand held;

At the age of 2 years, she could walk alone but not very steadily and often fell down. She could hold a biscuit in her hand to eat without help. She could imitate calling mother ponderously, but she could not call actively; when she was unhappy she could cry for a while aloud, but she stopped the crying soon, so she was not a child who liked to shout without reason.

At the age of 3 years, she had more obvious progress, since she could walk more steadily, sometimes she ran for several steps; she had richer expressions, could say hello to people actively; when there were people at home she could let the guests sit down, then she went into the guest’s arms to express her warmth. She could use a small spoon to eat, but she could not control defecation and urination completely, and she often made her trousers wet; every time she was shame-making, but if the adult did not criticize her but taught her to pay more attention patiently, she could have grateful smile.

Now she is 4 years old, she could take off unlined clothes, could put shoes and socks alone, could control her defecation and urination well; she knows to wash hands before meals, and she could remember the address of all members of the foster family, could say sentences of 3 words, but the speech is not very clear; she says sentences of 4 words unclearly; she has little vocabulary, but she knows everything in heart, could know adults’ meaning.

She is a optimistic child, could be warm with people actively; every time when we take photos of home visit, she could take out her best status with a beautiful smile; she is a little girl who likes to be pretty, and she likes wearing flower clothes, since she does not like the clothes with single color; she likes to play games in the park best; every time when she gets to the park she will jump and cheer, just as a happy bird. She does not like to stay in the room to watch TV; when she is unhappy she pouts her mouth, and she does not talk to anyone, but when her requirement is satisfied, she has her smile on face.

Dated
June 2011

Gabe, Male, DOB 5/2007
Special Need: Hemiplagia of the left side, currently residing in and receiving intensive physical therapy at the Jinggeng Rehabilitation Center

Gabe is an active, outgoing and handsome little dude!! He is quick to grab people’s hearts. He was admitted to his SWI at 11 months old. He is currently living at the rehab center in his province and making excellent progress. Children’s House International Waiting Child Advocate Stefani Ellison had the pleasure of meeting him on March 21, 2012. The center he is living at is dedicated to improving the lives of the children who live there and is very pro adoption. They are committed to seeing the children join a family. They will answer additional questions about the children and are permitted to directly communicate with CHI.

From his reports:

Gabe has cerebral palsy and was less than 1 year old on admission. Upon his physical exam, it was found that he had high muscular tension of limbs of left side. He was not able to grasp and hold things with both hands. He could not sit and crawl. However, the greatest impression that he gave us was that he was a clean and handsome boy who has fair complexion and smile and he was very adorable. Usually, he is always close to the caregivers. He enjoys being the focus of attention, although if you just accompany him, he would be very happy and smile. He has good adaptability and he could play with other children nearby soon. He loves colorful picture books and toys as well.v

Since admission, we have done the rehabilitation of limbs for him about 2 hours per day. Upon long term of rehabilitation treatment, now he has improved greatly on the muscles of waist and four limbs functions. He could sit alone for a while and get up while holding onto handrails. Although he cannot take steps forwards, he has the conscientious to grasp things and move forwards. He has good personality and seldom cries. Under the guidance of a caregiver, he is able to answer some simple questions and do some simple interactions with adults.

He has regular life and diet. He gets up at 6:00, does about 2 hours functional trainings in the morning and rests in the afternoon. Occasionally the caregivers also take him outside to enjoy the sunshine. He goes to bed at 20:30. He has breakfast at 7:30, lunch at 11:30 and dinner at 18:30. He is able to have regular food of 3 meals per day, such as rice, noodles, steamed bread, vegetable and milk, which are all his favorite food. In addition, he also has ham, milk, rice cereal, egg cakes as supplementary food at 10:30 and 16:30 respectively per day. He has good physical condition and seldom gets sick.

He is an adorable child. We hope he could find his own family soon.

Signed
2012-1-20

Grant, Male DOB 7/2010
Special Need: Torticollis of right neck and thorax, missing radius in right hand

Grant is a thumb sucker; and we are suckers for Grants big brown puppy dog eyes. His report is right that his eyes “speak”. Grant is a happy boy with a bright smile. He is active as other toddler boys his age. From his reports:

On admission Grant was a newborn. The physical exam done by doctors on admission found the child has 1. slanting to the right and a tense Papillary muscle of the right neck and chest 2. deformity of the right wrist. All other aspects are normal. He has his own bed and has good eating and sleeping.

Grant is active and outgoing. He has a full and round face with a pair of speaking eyes. He is restless and happy everyday. He likes to play with the caretaker. His favorite thing is to play with other children. He likes outdoor activities. He can jump up and down on a spring bed. He can play on the swing and slide with the monitoring of the caretaker. He has bright smiles. Sometimes he can express his needs. He can utter sounds to respond to the caretaker when the caretaker teases him. He can understand the caretaker’s orders and reply with actions. For example, he can shut the door if the caretaker orders him to do that. He knows the children in his room and likes to play games with them. He can squat down and stand up with hands on rails. He can stand stable alone. He can walk slowly with his hands holding onto rails.

He has good eating habits and he has good and fair skin. He has good sleeping habits.

On Aug 17, 2011, he had right wrist centralization procedure with advancement of extensor Carpi ulnarius and had good recovery. Now he has absence of the first palm bone of the right hand and absence of the right radius.

Dated Sep 5, 2011

Gus, Male, DOB 4/2008
Special Need: cerebral palsy, currently residing at and receiving intensive physical therapy at the Jinggeng Rehabilitation Center

Gus is a charming and delightful little boy!! He was admitted to his SWI at six months old. He is currently living at the rehab center in his province and making excellent progress. Children’s House International Waiting Child Advocate Stefani Ellison had the pleasure of meeting him on March 21, 2012. The center he is living at is dedicated to improving the lives of the children who live there and is very pro adoption. They are committed to seeing the children join a family. They will answer additional questions about the children and are permitted to directly communicate with CHI.

From his reports:

Gus is a very shy boy who is very gentle and tends to be closed to others at first. He also has a quick smile, especially when being praised for being handsome, at which time he would shyly lower his head smiling happily. Usually, he loves lying down on a ground mattress and playing peekaboo with the caregivers, at which time he plays it excitedly.

He has cerebral palsy. On admission to the SWI at six months old, he had high muscular tension of limbs and he could not sit and even roll over. Therefore, he has had rehabilitation training everyday in order to facilitate his functions of limbs as soon as possible. Upon long term of rehabilitation treatment, he is able to sit for long time and stand up on his own. He could take steps while holding onto handrails with big strides. Now when he finds interesting toys, he has the conscientious to approach and grasp that toy and play with it. He has improved greatly his finger functions, in that he could grasp a toy and play with it flexibly. He especially loves grasping circle toys and waving them. He cannot speak some simple words yet, however, he understands words and does some simple interactions as per instructions. He has good physical condition and seldom gets sick.

He has regular life and diet. He gets up at 6:00, naps for about 1 hour at noon, and is taken outside to enjoy the sunshine in the afternoon by our caregivers, then goes to bed at 20:30. He is able to have regular food of 3 meals per day. He has breakfast at 7:30, lunch at 11:30 and dinner at 18:30. He also has food such as bread, milk, rice cereal and fruits at 10:30 and 15:30. He has good appetite, and enjoys each meal.

We could see that the lovely child has progressed day by day and we are very happy for him. We hope he could find his adoptive family soon.

Signed
2012-1-20

Jackson, Male DOB 9/2010
Special Need: CHD ASD; congential cleft lip and palate III

Baby Jackson enjoys warm baths, sunshine and outdoor activities. He is such a sweetheart! He was admitted to his SWI as a newborn. Even with his cleft palate he is a good eater and likes steamed eggs, fruit juice and mashed vegetables. He enjoys music. He is hitting developmental milestones. His reports state:

Jackson was given physical exam upon his admission to the SWI. He was found to have a degree III cleft lip and palate and a heart murmur. All other aspects of his exam were normal.

Jackson has a group life and regular daily routines in the institute. He gets up at 8:00, naps during 11:00 and 14:00, and goes to bed at 20:30, which could sleep through to the following day with sound sleep. He is showered at 8:00 with warm water and he enjoys the sunshine and outside activities at 9:30 and 15:30 everyday.

Jackson has a pair of thick brows, black and big eyes and a fair complexion. He is a pretty little boy. He likes being in a noisy environment, listening to nursery rhymes and stories as well as playing with staff. When teasing him, he is very happy and laughs aloud. He could hold up head, hold a milk bottle and locate the direction of sound when a staff calls him. He loves to play in his walker and he enjoys brightly colored and musical toys.

Dated: 5/26/2011

Jase, Male DOB 1/2007

Jase is “an active, outgoing, very smart, lovely and excellent little boy” according to his reports. He was admitted to his SWI since he was a newborn and currently lives with a foster family. He loves to tell stories about his day.

At the age of 6 months, he could roll over; at the age of 8 months, he could sit alone steadily; at the age of 9 months, he could crawl freely. He could take steps with one hand held at 1 year old, walk alone and talk to caregivers with conscious mind at 1.5years old, go upstairs and downstairs while holding onto handrails and use a spoon to eat at 2 years old. In order to give him formal education, we sent him to a kindergarten where there were 4 children from our SWI studying there. He also knew lots of new friends there, therefore, the kindergarten was not strange to him and he could get along well with teachers and classmates. In order to pick him at the school on time and give him better care, we sent him to a foster family in September of 2009 and the foster family loved him very much.

Since studying in the kindergarten, he has become more active, outgoing, talkative and happy. It seemed that he was happy there and he has learnt a lot there such as counting numbers, writing characters, reciting ancient poems and reading nursery rhymes. At the age of over 3 years, we found that he had a mass at his neck and we took him to the people’s hospital to check, which found out that it was cyst thyroglossal. On 2010-5-10, he had a small operation, after which he was fine and he recovered soon.

Now he is 4 years and 10 months. He studies in the middle level class of Kindergarten. He especially loves playing with other children such as games, and he has a good memory, for example, he could remember nursery rhymes that teachers taught very fast. Now he could read picture books, write down simple numbers such as 1, 2 and 3, know that the sun is red, tell his name and the names of other familiar children. He could use a spoon to eat food everyday, know that he has to wash hands before eating, put on clothes, take on and off clothes in summer, and go to washroom if needed. He is able to run, jump, go upstairs and downstairs on his own, talk to his familiar persons (but sometimes he is shy and quiet in front of strangers). He often tells the foster mother the stories happened in the kindergarten, such as being praised by a teacher, the things he has learnt, and the things other children did. He would also read new nursery rhymes he has learnt. He pays attention on hygiene too, for example, he throws peels and shells into a garbage bin. He has a sweet smile too. Generally, he is an active, outgoing, very smart, lovely and excellent little boy.

He has a CT check during his physical it was learned that he has an occipital lobe cyst and is a Hep B carrier.

2011-11-28

Junie, Female, DOB 5/2007
Special Need: cerebral palsy, currently residing at and receiving intensive physical therapy at the Jinggeng Rehabilitation Center

Junie is a precious little girl who is timid and gentle. She was found as a three year old and taken to her SWI in June 2010. She is currently living at the rehab center and making incredible progress and is flourishing physically and emotionally! Children’s House International Waiting Child Advocate Stefanin Ellison has the pleasure of meeting her on March 21, 2012. The center she is living at is dedicated to improving the lives of the children who live there and are very pro adoption. They are committed to seeing the children join a family. They will answer additional questions about the children and are permitted to directly communicate with CHI.

From her reports:

Junie, female, DOB: June 2007, was found abandoned on 2010-6-3. (As she was found at the hospital it is possible she was abandoned due to poverty and her special need and her birth family not being able to meet her needs.)

She was 3 years old on admission. She has round face, fair complexion and she is lovely. Initially, she was afraid of being with strangers in that she refused to be approached by strangers and often cried. Upon a period of time of adjustment, she was willing to be closed to caregivers. She was thin and weak but she has good appetite. Occasionally, she had indigested problems because of eating too much food, at which time she was given medicines to help digesting and she recovered soon.

She has cerebral palsy. The physical exam on admission showed she had a stiffneck and rigidity of back and high muscular tension of limbs. She was not able to hold up her head, roll over or sit. Upon long term use of medicines and rehabilitation training, she has improved greatly. She could hold up head and look around and she has flexible motions of limbs. She could roll over freely, sit up and play, independently choose her interested toys to play. She also has learnt a lot of simple words such as dad and grandpa with good pronunciations. Since she is not able to stand independently, we continue to do functional training of her lower limbs and we hope she could stand up as soon as possible.

She has regular life and diet. She gets up at 6:00, goes to bed at 20:30, has 2 hours of rehabilitation training in the morning per day and has a rest in the afternoon. She has breakfast at 7:00, lunch at 11:30 and dinner at 18:00. In addition, she also has additional meals at 10:30 and 16:00 respectively per day, such as cookies, milk, fruits and bread, all of which are her favorite food. She has not only good appetite but also great physical condition and she seldom gets sick.

Caregivers all love her and sincerely hope she could find a happy family of her own as soon as possible and grow up in a healthy and happy way with the care of her parents.

Signed
1/20/2012

Laura, Female DOB 11/2006
Special Needs: multiple brown spots on body, Hep B+

Laura is a lovely little girl who enjoys being outside. Her pictures are quite somber and we are determined to help Laura find many reasons to grin and giggle. Laura was admitted to her SWI when she was approximately 8 months old. Laura is by nature shy and quiet but she does laugh and enjoys playing with other children. As she grows up she is getting more outgoing. She currently lives with a foster family. Her reports state:

“Laura was admitted when she was 8 months old. Her motor development was delayed somewhat compared to kids of similar age. In order for her to get more loving care and nursing, Laura entered a foster family on the next day after admission.

With the careful attention of her foster mom, she adapted to the new environment quickly. Her appetite became much better and her face became ruddy. At the age of 9-11 months Laura could quickly find hidden toys. When being brought to play outdoors her beautiful eyes could look around and she looked very lovely. At the age of 12-15 months she understood some simple daily expressions said by adults, had a ready smile. She could drink water and milk by holding the cup with both hands. At the age of 15-18 months Laura could sit alone steadily, stand for a while by holding onto things, cooperate to dress or undress her, and button clothes.

At the age of 18-24 months she could walk around sitting in a walker, liked to watch cartoons, and could laugh aloud when teased by family members. At the age of 2-3 years she could say some simple daily expressions, imitate actions of adults, and liked to play with kids. Now Laura is over 4 years old, she likes to smile better, becomes much more outgoing, shows more concern to things in the surroundings, likes to communicate with everyone. She also likes to do handiwork with her older foster brother, such as folding paper planes etc.

Laura’s staple food is rice and her supplementary foods are milk, fruit and eggs etc. She is not choosy about food and has a good appetite. She gets colds occasionally which can be cured once being treated. She had brain CT examination which showed no abnormal findings by cranium CT scanning. Five items of examination for HB showed positive HBsAb and positive HBeAb.

Signed Jan.8 2011

Mamie, Female DOB 6/2010
Special Needs: Repaired cleft lip, cleft palate, developmental delay

Wee Mamie needs help. It appears that since her surgery to repair her cleft lip she has had a difficult time recovering. She is no longer meeting her developmental milestones. She started out developing normal except for her cleft lip and palate. It breaks our hearts to see that she is struggling so much. She will need some extra special care.

Mamie was born in the June of 2010 and now at the age of 8 months. Medical Diagnosis: cleft lip and palate.

On admission, she was at the age of 3-5 days with cleft lip and palate. She was good in other aspects. She is fat and fair with good flexibility of body and a good appetite.

Now she is at the age of 8 months. Compared with other children of her age, she is fat and round. She has a pair of very lovely fat and round hands and a pair of black eyes with long eyelashes and thick and black hair. She has a ready smile. She is fond of sucking her fingers carefully, which is so lovely to us. When the caretaker gives her the milk bottle, she would grasp it with her hands and suck.

She is a sweet baby who is not prone to crying. She can grasp the hands of the caretaker and play with her. When the caretaker is working, she would play with herself.

She gets up at 7:00 every morning, and naps for once or twice in daytime with 1-2 hours per time and she goes to bed at 21:00 with stable sleeping. She has one meal of milk every 3-4 hours with 150-180 ml per meal.

Dated 3/15/2012

UPDATE 2/13/2012

Mamie now has a special situation. The child is now over one year old, she is still not able to sit, stand independently, and is not able to walk as well. Her physical development and mobility are not even close to other children. Mamie’s cleft lip has been surgically repaired in October 2011, but the palate repair has not been done. At present, she still can’t talk. Mamie’s basic information: height 76 cm, weight 8kg.

PIERCE, Male DOB 4/2011
Special Needs: Contracture of right hands and bilateral varus feet

Pierce your heart he will! Just look at the treasure in the baby bouncer. Pierce is a darling baby boy who needs a good physical therapist. Shriner’s Hospitals for Children or other orthopedic hospitals would be excellent for him. Can’t you see some naughty little twinkles in his eyes? This boy is going to be FUN. His reports state:

“At the time of intake he was a newborn and had carpoptosis of both upper limbs and varus of both feet, new born baby icterus, omphalitis and diaper rash. The diaper rash was healed one week later after the admission. After admission he received strengthened care and scientific feeding, he gained weight obviously and his physical status was stable.

In July of 2011, X-ray in Children’s Hospital found: varus of both wrist joints and both feet. Now his physical growth and development are similar to that of his peers.

Growth and development: when held straightly, his head is steadily straight; when he sits by pulling his hands to his head can be straight for short time. His eyes are flexible and can follow moving objects or people. Bright toys or actions can attract him and he will turn his head to moving objects. He can fix his eyes on the caretaker’s face or eyes when the caretaker speaks to him. He feels happy when teased and can use crying to express her feelings. He can utter small throat sounds, hold the toy put in hands for a while, can play with a toy with both hands and wants to eat at the sight of food.

Pierce has good eating and sleeping habits. He is extroverted, active, fond of listening to music, likes to be held by people. When he is unhappy he cries loudly, but if someone holds him he stops crying, and he can respond actively to stimulation of new things or strangers. He can accept foods he has never eat.”

Dated 7/2011

PENDING – Reagan, Male DOB 6/2010
Special Needs: congenital bilateral cataracts

Reagan may not be able to see things clearly now but he was named after Pres. Ronald Reagan in the hope that this child has vision. He is a delightful toddler boy who is experiencing the world and approaches it with happiness. The following is from his reports:

“When Reagan entered the institute, he was preliminarily diagnosed with congenital cataracts. No other abnormalities were found on this child.

Currently, Reagan is already 9 months old. Although he is blind in both eyes, to look at him in comparison with other children, you would not find too big a difference. Actually, his two black, shining eyes still seem very cute and smart. This little guy has become very handsome. The bridge of his nose is tall, he has a little chin, fair skin, and he makes everyone who looks at him feel affection for him in their heart. He is a very sunny little boy who loves to smile. As long as you tickle him a little bit, he will happily laugh out loud. Although he can’t see things, his ability to hear and touch things seems very nimble. Even when he is crying and fussing, if he hears someone by his side or the sound of the rattle or music, he will immediately calm down. He really likes for people to caress his face. Every time he feels that light touch he loves, he will put on a resplendent smile.

Reagan’s four limbs are strong. He enjoys himself. You can often find him constantly stretching out his two arms and legs, winding and wriggling, as if he is a gymnast performing. Currently, he is already learning to lean to his side, and he is also occasionally making “yi ya” noises as he learns to speak.

Little Reagan’s life is regular and ordered. His appetite is very good. Typically, he is obedient. When he eats his fill, he obediently falls asleep or plays on his own. He and the other children alike sleep in their own little beds. At night, he goes to sleep relatively early. During the night, he wakes up to drink milk twice. Typically, he wakes up past 5 am.

Because little Reagan has always been blind, he easily garners people’s sympathy, but presumably love can transform his life to be even brighter. We all firmly believe that this adorable boy will eventually find his own place in the sun.”

PENDING – Sophia, Female, DOB 2/20/2009
Spcecial Need: Diagnosis of brain atrophy which may be questionable.

Stefani Ellison, the Waiting Child Advocate for Children’s House International met this lovely child on 3/21/2012. The doctor at the local hospital who does the medicals for prospective adoptive children has a penchant for making brain atrophy diagnoses which the caregivers don’t feel are accurate. This area of China is remote and economically challenged. The quality of care and nutrition that Sophia received the first two years of her life are unknown. Sophia appears to be growing very well and a mild language delay is the only concern stated by her caregivers. Sweet Sophia was found when she was two years old and her medical report was prepared only two months after her abandonment and admission to the SWI. This report is now nearly one year old.

From her medical reports

On admission Sophia was 2 years old, has lived in the welfare institute for a short time. The child is introverted, has delicate outlook, is cute and clever, very adorable. The caretakers all like her very much and call to her kindly. Presently the child eats ordinary food, has good appetite, is not choosy to food, has average self-care ability, can not use table dinner set to have meals alone, but can hold the food to eat with hands, need the help of the caretaker when dressing herself or putting on shoes, can be cooperative when the caretaker is washing face and hands for her, needs the help of the caretaker for defecation and urination, can go to sleep alone.

Sophia likes to watch TV and play building blocks a lot, but sometimes can grab toys from other kids. In terms of speech development she can say some simple words and express her personal need, can say other simple words such as grandma and aunt etc. simply. The child’s motor development is good, can walk steadily, need the caretaker to lead her by hand when going up and down stairs, her favorite food is eggs, she has good energy and appetite, sound sleep. Now she is 91cm in height, 22.5kg in weight,49cm in head size, 51cm in chest size.

Sophia likes to lean on the arms of the caretaker and her eyes looks very happy and glad. We will offer her some education so as to make her have more self-care ability and grow up happily and healthily every day.

Dated 5/24/2011

There are over 2000 children waiting on the China Shared List. To learn more please contact Heidi at: heidigoestochina@msn.com

Country Facts

China is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. The country consists of states and cultures that are as many as 6,000 years old. Political upheaval has marked China’s history, particularly with the Maoist upheaval in the mid-20th century. Today mainland China is under communist rule.

General information about China

(Statistical information taken from the 2000 CIA Fact Book)

The People’s Republic of China is located in eastern Asia. The size of China is slightly larger than the United States, making it the third largest country in the world. The terrain of China is mostly mountainous, although there are areas of desert, plateau, and plains. The majority of the population lives in the eastern part of the country where the land is most fertile. The climate of China varies greatly by province due to the diverse landscapes. The south tends to have a tropical climate and the extreme north has a sub-arctic climate. The coastal areas of China face yearly monsoons in the summer time. China is just beginning to address the pollution problems that have been becoming more and more severe in areas of new development.

China is known worldwide for its production of rice, tobacco, grains, and peanuts. Nearly 61% of the population is in the agriculture industry. Although China produces large amounts of food, most of the food must be used to feed the enormous population. There are nearly 1.3 billion people in China, making it the largest population in the world.

China people and culture

The Mandarin dialect is the basis for standard Chinese, which is spoken by 70% of the population. The other 30% speak their native dialects. Fortunately, the characters are very similar, so that if they cannot communicate by speech, they can communicate by writing. Mandarin Chinese is taught to all of the children in schools, but they may speak their native dialect at home.

The diet in China has basic staples common in all of the provinces, while each region must rely on the food grown nearby for variety. Noodles, rice, grains, or tofu are the basic ingredients of most meals. Due to the high price of meat, vegetables and sauces must provide the individual flavors and variety.

The appropriate dress in China is conservative, western-style clothing designs. Women tend to wear dresses more than slacks.

The rate of population growth in the past led the Chinese government to offer incentives to families with only one child. For this reason, many of the children available to adopt in China are in orphanages because their families cannot support them.

Land Divisions

China is comprised of 23 provinces, five autonomous regions and four municipalities. Provinces include: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Quinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan and Zhejiang. The island of Taiwan is viewed by China as its 23rd Province.

Autonomous regions include: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang (Tibet).

Municipalities include: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin.

Special regions: Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions of China.

Climate

Given the size of China, its climate is understandably diverse, ranging from tropical in the south to subarctic in the north. Winters (December to March) can be extremely cold and dry with temperatures often below zero. During summer (May to August), rain is more prevalent along with higher temperatures. In central China, the Yangtze River valley is home to long, humid, and hot summers between April and October, while in winter temperatures are below freezing. In south China, around Guangzhou, the summers are characterized by typhoons and high temperatures between July and September. Winters are short and chilly.

Government

Communist State

Population

1,321,851,888

Source: Wikipedia, 2008

Life Expectancy

73 years

Religion

Officially atheist, Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4% (2002 est.)

Language

Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages.

Currency

Official Chinese currency is the Yuan (CNY), also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB).

For more information email: inquiry@chiadopt.com