From the moment Layla was born, doctors knew she wouldn't live long. Her brain was so underdeveloped that it was little more than a stem. She couldnt see, feed herself or eat, and she passed away when she was just 11 months old.

Days before her death, Layla was adopted by Joe and Melba Cotton, a New Mexico couple whose actions have earned them the Abigail Thomlinson award.

An article on the website of the Hobbs News-Sun provided the following details about the Cottons and the award they recently received:

The award is given to someone in the community each year that demonstrates the courage, willingness to mentor and strength Abigail exhibited during her short life.
Tom Thomlinson's voice broke as he described his daughter during Monday's ceremony. He said the Cottons embody the spirit of the award and that is why he chose them as this year's recipients.

"The award is given to people whose sole purpose is to help people," he said. "For all the children they have helped, this year's recipients stand for what I hope the awards stands for."

The Cottons have spent decades helping children. They have lost count of the number of children they have fostered in the past 25 years and as Joe said in his comments during the ceremony, the couple's journey began long ago when they lost their infant daughter.

Labels: adoptive parents, awards, special_needs

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A Dec. 22 article by Kathy Kirby of thestarpress.com featured an Indiana couple who have provided loving homes to special need children with serious medical concerns:

Foster parents of medically fragile children with special needs, the Anderson couple gave these three boys a permanent home in the past three years with the help of KidsPeace Foster Care and Family Services, a foster care agency serving Delaware, Madison, Jay, Randolph, Blackford, Henry and Grant counties.

"Not many people want to take on the care of special needs children," Terry said. "Love and care is what they need. We have a gift to do just that."

Jeramiah has physical ailments from being born prematurely. Brandon has a metabolic disorder. And Elijah is still recuperating from injuries he suffered from a self-afflicted gunshot wound after he had found a gun under his birth father's bed. At one time, he couldn't hold up his head or talk.

Any day now, the couple expect the adoption to be finalized of yet another foster son, whom they have affectionately nicknamed Angel.

Labels: special_needs

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Father's Day may be over for this year, but don't try telling that to Brian Miller. For Miller, a single dad to adopted son Johnathan, every day is Fathers Day -- a day to celebrate his son, and the special relationship they have.

Today, Brian describes Johnathan as both is son and his best friend, but according to a June 19 segment on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," becoming a family wasn't the easiest experience for either one of the Millers:

Johnathan was 7 when Miller adopted him, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of the experience.

Johnathan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and didn't understand that the adoption was final. He feared that Miller might give him back.

Once when the school called to tell Miller that Johnathan wasn't paying attention, Johnathan ripped the phones out of the wall. He was scared that Miller might change his mind if he did something wrong.

On the flip side, when Miller tried to take privileges  like TV  away from his son, Johnathan would say, "Wait till I tell the judge this one." Then Miller would have to remind him, "It's over Johnathan, you're adopted. There [are] no more judges in your life."

Once Johnathan realized that his home life was, his behavior and academic performance began to improve. For example, when he was first adopted, he was a special education student, but now he attends regular classes.

Labels: adoptive parents, special_needs, fathers

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When Wendy wasn't able to have biological children, she and her husband looked into adoption. Now, 20 years later, they have two adopted children, both with Down's syndrome.

"The siblings, who are now in their late 20s, lead busy lives like everyone else, enjoying all manner of activities from drama to life skills lessons throughout the week."

Wendy says she always focused on her children's strengths and abilities, never called attention to their limitations, and always believed in their potential. Source: Essex County Standard

Labels: special_needs

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A budget shortfall in 2007 forced Florida lawmakers to trim $4 billion in state spending - cuts that resulted in the complete omission of new funding for adoption subsidies. On June 17, 2008, lawmakers agreed to transfer $21 million from state trust funds to adoption, foster care, and child protection programs.

"The [adoption] subsidies are the state's primary tool in encouraging parents to adopt foster children with special needs who may require extra health or psychological care.... Both the adoption and after-foster care programs would have collapsed this year without more money."

The money will help support adoptions that occurred during the last fiscal year, and will provide funding for the more than 3,000 adoptions the state is expecting to process in the coming year. Source: Tampa Tribune

Labels: special_needs, foster_care, financial_assistance

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Emma was just 2 1/2 weeks old when she had her first open heart surgery. But during the procedure, there weren't any parents pacing a waiting room floor, wondering about their little girl - the child had been placed for adoption, but then the adoptive mother had changed her mind. Enter a cardiac surgery nurse and his wife.

"For years, [Daniel Monroe] and his wife, Elizabeth, tried to have children. They spent $35,000 on in-vitro fertilization to conceive their son.... But Elizabeth Monroe always wanted a daughter.... Three months later, when Daniel called from work to tell her about the orphan baby, Elizabeth was certain her prayers had been answered."

The Monroes let their wishes be known to the birth mother's lawyer, and two days later they got the green light to proceed with the adoption. Emma will have to have other surgeries as she grows up, but she - and her forever family - will cross those bridges as they come to them. Source: The Ledger

Labels: special_needs, hope, love

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Since 1997, when the Adoption and Safe Families Act was passed, the adoption of foster care children has increased from 31,000 to 51,000 per year. While the adoption of special needs children is encouraged, financial subsidies are only available to adoptive parents if the child's biological parents qualified for welfare. Senator Susan Collins from Maine would like to change that.

"I am a cosponsor of the bipartisan Adoption Equality Act introduced by Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-W. Va., to correct this situation and ensure that no child adopted from foster care is denied federal support strictly on the basis of the birth family's income."

The Adoption Equality Act would also require states to reinvest surplus foster care dollars back into child abuse and neglect programs. Source: Seacoast Online

Labels: legislation, special_needs, financial_assistance

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Minnesota adoption agencies face unique challenges when trying to place special needs children and sibling groups in permanent homes. Nearly half of the children available for adoption in the state have special needs.

But Julia Weisz, a social worker from Morrison County, hopes those labels won’t discourage families from coming forward. Children have special needs just by being in foster care, she said. All have suffered loss.” [Source: St. Cloud Times]

Ron and James Brown, from St. Cloud, dislike the labels given to foster and adoptive kids. Both feel the labels can set kids up for failure. The Browns have fostered over 30 children, including those with special needs, and have seen many of them grow into healthy, productive teens and adults.

Labels: special_needs

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Man Shares Russian Adoption Story

When John Lahutsky was still a baby, he was placed in a Russian orphanage, which was his home until he was nine years old. His life took a turn for the better when a Pennsylvania woman adopted him out of the orphanage and took him home.

Lahutsky's story was the topic of a Sept. 1 article by John E. Usalis of The Standard Speaker:

[Lahutsky's] story also is told in the book, "The Boy from Baby House 10," which is co-authored by Lahutsky and Alan Philps, a British journalist. Philps and his wife, Sarah, were also instrumental in helping Lahutsky, then named Vanya, while in the orphanage system and to eventually come to America. ...

"I was born at 24 weeks with cerebral palsy," Lahutsky said. "Imagine a 2-pound baby trying to survive in 1990 in a Russian hospital. It is incredible that I made it."

When he was 18 months old, his birth parents abandoned him and his 6-year-old sister, Olga.

"We were stuck in an apartment for three days. It was not until my sister climbed up to the window and a neighbor noticed that we were alone and called the authorities," Lahutsky said. ...

"Truly a power beyond my control, the Lord told me that I was going to adopt this boy," Paula [Lahutsky] said. "So I adopted John as a single mom and we just celebrated our 11th anniversary."

Lahutsky is an honor roll student. His favorite subject is history, and he enjoys giving presentations about his life and his book. He has told his story to students in small classroom groups, his experiences moving the students emotionally. He also has spoken to Kiwanis, the Salvation Army and church groups.

 

Labels: international, Russia, orphanages, special_needs

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