[amyfk]

HI,

I am just curious and this thread is a follow up to the other one on fetal alcohol.
I have heard that many kids adopted out of Russia are at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome.
I want to know if kids who are born in Russia and arent relinquished--are they also high risk for fetal alcohol? Or is it mostly in the population who are planning to place?
Thanks,
Amy K, NJ

[momraine]

I don't know that nesisarily most parents in Russia of the kids in the orphanages planned to place. Many children are there because they were taken from thier parents due to abuse or neglect, or are abandoned due to poverty. Alcohol most certainly plays a part in abuse, neglect and even poverty. Those who are addicted to alcohol have trouble showing up at work, taking care of thier children and controlling thier tempers. However there are also children reliquinshed for other reasons. My daughter was very much wanted by her bith parents. (yes, we do know this for sure) but she was born with deformities. The culture there is different. There is no help for parents who have children who are different. In spite of the fact that it was supposed to be an athiest country under communism, superstition is still strong and so people are leary of children who are different. Plus under communism those who could not work were of no value. So a child with a clubbed foot or a cleft palate, would have a normal life here with early treatment, would not have such a normal life there. Other children are abandoned because the families cannot afford to feed them. Babies are expensive and time consuming. Some parents think they are ready and then something happens and they realize they cannot feed the child so they will take it to an orphanage rather than let the child starve. Some older children who have FAS may also be placed in the orphanage if parents cannot deal with thier FAS symptoms. Drinking is more common in Russia and the effects of alcohol on the baby are not as commonly known as they are here. Of course even here babies are still born affected by alcohol every day. Don't know if that answers your question, but in short I would say it's probably a little more common in children available for adoption, than in those being raised by thier bio parents.

[amyfk]

Thanks for answering Momraine. I appreciate it.
Amy K, NJ

[MominPA]

My oldest son birth mom reliquished her rights at birth since she didn't have a proper home for him. There was no reference of alchol by the birth mom on his medical.

My youngest son was abandoned when he was about month old. There was a note on him stating his first name and that they were unable to take care of him. We have no information on the birth mother or his birth.

I think my oldest's birth mom always had the intention of placing him and my youngest's tried to raise him, but were unable to do it financially. FAS was not a concern by the IA doctors whom reviewed their medicals and videos.