[kxl164]

Our child has "attachment issues" but no one is willing to call it an "attachment disorder;" he was 24 months at placement.

We knew from the first day that something wasn't right, there was a honeymoon period for severe acting out, but the attachment issues were immediately appearent.

We were not "allowed" to pursue attachment therapy until after TPR (18 month later), so we did play therapy with some "suggestions" from therapist for help facilitating attachment.

After TPR, we had an in-home attachment therapist for a year, before we "graduated", meaning the issues are still there but are not severe enough to warrent in-home therapy.

As to the severity, I don't know. Even though we have "graduated" there are still definite attachment issues, but the attachment has been growing. It is a very long, slow process, full of starts and stops, progress/regression.... but it is growing.

I don't think my child will ever be "cured" of attachment issues, but we are hopeful that he will continue to make progress and our family attachment will grow.

Like Kat-L, my son was moved mulitiple times with different family members/caregivers before coming into foster care, then we were their second placement after that, of course in the beginning we were just told we were their second placement. As time when by and I learned more and more about the history I found that we are really his 10th, and final, home. It has taken its toll, he still doesn't want to have to fully trust in us to meet his needs and it makes him angry when he realizes that he does. So we see definite progress, but it seems to be measured by the frequency and severity of the regression periods.