[Karen in MT]

Wondering if a child is not abandoned until age 7 if maybe there is more of a chance that they were attached to a parent and not have an attachment issue. Also wondering if it could be a good sign when a child is stated to be close to certain playmates in an orphanage? Very seriously looking into adoption of a 10 year old in Russia. Thank you for any help!!!

[Kansas Girl]

I would suggest reading up on attachment at some different websites - try Attachment Disorder information and support at ATTACh.org., Welcome to Attachment & Trauma Network* - ATN, A4everFamily.org - HOME.

Generally speaking, what I have read is that if there haven't been any disruptions to the attachment process in the first two or three years of the child's life, there's less of a chance of attachment issues. However, I would call that a big if....you would need to know the quality of the child's life in those years, and if it was institutional care, was that sufficient?

Fran

[lucyjoy]

If the child's mother took good care of her and she attached to her mother, she won't have attachment disorder. However, the child was abandoned which is a significant break in attachment and I would prepare for the child to have attachment issues.