This "Medical and Developmental Issues in Adoption" handout (big download) comes from a talk that Dr. Bledsoe and I often give to parent groups, agency staff, and health care providers. More fun in person, but here it is for folks that can't make it to our travelling adoption medicine show.
We just had a review article published in Pediatric Clinics of North America, in an issue dedicated to international adoption that's chock full of articles on pre- and post-adoption medical and developmental issues. The abstract of our article is as follows:
Prenatal alcohol and drug exposures are a significant concern in many domestic and international adoptions. This article addresses the following substance exposures for children: alcohol, opiates, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines. For each substance, we review the teratogenicity of the exposure and identify the spectrum of neurodevelopmental issues that can present in children exposed to this substance. Diagnosis of the spectrum of fetal alcohol outcomes is also discussed. When possible, we provide country-specific statistics on exposure risks for adopted children.
It's a lengthy, in-depth review that was written for other health care providers, but should also be accessible to parents, caregivers, and other adoption workers. We hope you find it helpful ...
Dr. Dana Johnson's review article on head size - "Does Size Matter, Or Is Bigger Better?" - says it best. Highly recommended for parents considering referrals with head growth concerns. Growth charts are available here.
Bring a non-stretchable measuring tape, and practice a bit first. Wrap the tape snugly around the widest possible circumference - from the most prominent part of the forehead (often 1-2 fingers above the eyebrow) around to the widest part of the back of the head. Try to find the widest way around the head. Remeasure it 3 times, and take the largest number.
Our center has 3 pediatricians that specialize in adoption medicine: Julia Bledsoe, MD, Julian Davies, MD, and Cynthia Kertesz, MD. We have over a decade of experience in international adoption and foster care.
Our center has two pediatricians that specialize in adoption medicine: Julia Bledsoe, MD and Julian Davies, MD.
We perform pre-adoption consultations by telephone for families adopting from abroad or domestically. We also provide post-placement evaluations and ongoing pediatric care at our Seattle clinic.
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