[NancyAshe]

Many children adopted internationally have spent time in an institutional care setting where they, along with a few or dozens of other children, share living quarters, caregivers, and early life experiences. These experiences can lead to behaviors that are often baffling, challenging, and even frightening to adopting parents who have no experience of the institutional care setting. Imagine spending early formative years seeing only adults wearing hygenic masks. Imagine spending early formative years without stimulating activity, or having to fight to touch a toy, or without ever visiting someone's home, a store, a playground.

Dr. George Rogu explores the institutional setting and the experiences that can lead to unexpected or unusual bahaviors in children in his article, "Detrimental Effects of Institutions and Orphanages." Dr. Rogu, who received his medical degree in Romania, is all too familiar with some of the worst orphanage conditions that existed in that country and offers invaluable insight to adopting and adoptive parents.

To discuss orphanages and the behaviors of children who spend part of their young lives in these institutions, please join our forum: "Effects of Institutional Care" moderated by expert Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman (Dr. Art), of the Center for Family Development.

[moonbridge]

Nancy - this point brings up one of the arguements in the domestic vs. international debate. There are many people who do not look domestically for children because they come not so ideal backgrounds. They believe that international kids are better because they do not come from a background of abuse, drugs, and or neglect. One of the major issues that adoptive can face is RAD. Attachment disorders are much deeper issues to deal with than other issues, and can take years or longer to heal. Most people do not have exposure or understanding of AD before adotping. There is nothing harder than loving someone who does not have the ability to love back.
The majority of international children have deeper attachment issues than domestic children. Even though domestic children come out of an undesirable home, usually they are able to form attachements. A bad parent is better than no parents and the only adults that they meet wear masks. There are thousands of children in America needing a loving family.