[TheresaB]

What is considered "Special Needs" in Guatemalan adoption, but when I look for handicaps there are none???? This adorable little girl is considered special needs and her fees are reduced?! She isn't with an agency that we are going with though, so.....??? Can anyone help me?? She is beautiful!!

[TheresaB]

Anyone?????

[OkieDokie]

I've seen kids marked as "special needs" due to there age........ or sometime if they're born premature and don't exhibit any effects from that but are being marked as special needs because there is a possibility of it for in the future?

Ask the agency as it might be a typo. Our daughter is considered special needs because of a cleft lip and palate.

Good luck!

[annaguat]

Probably best is to contact the placing agency of the little girl and aks why her fees are reduced. Also ask them and your current placing agency about the possibility of adopting her. I found it very hard to change once the fees were payed. You can but will most likely loose the fees you already payed to the first placing agency. Anna

[ManyTimesBlessed]

In the adoption world "special needs" is a VERY broad category. Special needs can mean an older child, a child with minor correctible health issues, a child with minor non-correctible health issues, or a child with more severe needs. This category also includes children who are harder to place for some reason. A friend of mine is adopting a baby girl from Guatemala who is considered special needs because her skin is darker than usual (her parents are from the coastal part of Guat).

This category is so broad and often adoptive parents find that they are quite able and willing to adopt a child who is considered special needs. I always encourage people to inquire about these sweet kids because they may very well have a special need that they can handle.