[sugarandspice697]

Since I'm a single mom with one child already. Russia is one of the very few countries that will consider my dossier. However, I'm a bit concerned about FAS/FAE. Someone once told me that nearly half of the Russian babies and toddlers are exposed to alcohol and drugs.

Is it very common for Russia children to FAS/FAE and NOT be dianosted before being adopt?

[votemom]

well, from what i have read on the various russian adoption boards, the russian doctors do not ever give such a diagnosis.

if you are concerned, you should consider hiring an international adoption doctor who can consult with you after you have photos and video, as well as growth charts of your referral.

you would email him/her the photos/video to an address they provide for that purpose, and they get back to you very quickly with their input.

there are also some doctors that you can pay to travel to see your referral in person. however, not every region permits this.

[angelkisses0102]

Originally Posted by sugarandspice697

Since I'm a single mom with one child already. Russia is one of the very few countries that will consider my dossier. However, I'm a bit concerned about FAS/FAE. Someone once told me that nearly half of the Russian babies and toddlers are exposed to alcohol and drugs.

Is it very common for Russia children to FAS/FAE and NOT be dianosted before being adopt?

I agree that MOST (meaning more than half) kids in the 'adoption system' have a great potential for being exposed to alcohol and drugs..no way to ever eliminate the possibility when adopting from Russia...regardless of the exceptions. Kids who are in a Russian orphanage are there for a reason...especially if they were not voluntarily relinquished by the first family. Their backgrounds are often traumatic and heartbreaking to say the least.

In my house, with two kiddos adopted from Russia, it's 50/50...and my kids were voluntarily relinquished. My DD was a high risk referral due to health issues...but low risk for alcohol exposure. At this point, home almost seven years and turning eight late this summer...I do not believe she was exposed. BUT, her first mom was only 15 when she gave birth and DD was her first pregnancy...both of those lower the risk of having 'issues' even if exposed to alcohol. DD does have ADHD...she is very active and HIGHLY impulsive...although vyvanse is a miracle drug at our house. So, could she have been exposed? Yes...but other than the ADHD (which some days is not easy to parent) she is 'fine'...tiny but fine.

DS was adopted at 8 months old...he was considered a low risk referral, no indicators of prenatal alcohol exposure or abuse. However, home almost 5.5 years...I feel he was exposed. DS is our 'surprise' special needs child (although really we should not have been surprised since we adopted from Russia.) He has issues which are common in exposed kids...sensory issues, speech issues, developmental delays, ADHD like behaviors, impulsivity issues, etc. He was also just diagnosed with JRA/JIA and I have to wonder if prenatal alcohol exposure plays a role in this autoimmune disease (I do think it does...but I am 'just' his mom.) Parenting him is NOT easy...but we love him regardless.

In regard to this, you really need to talk with the parents of kids who have been home a while and are school age...especially kids who are in the mid to upper elementary grades and higher. The more complex thinking grades...that is when the 'problems' really begin to surface. This forum tends to be a more 'happily ever after forum' so I suggest you visit other forums, such as frua or eeadopt for a more well-rounded viewpoint.

Russian adoption is NOT for everyone...and that's OK! Do some kids do great...you betcha...my 'gifted' DD is living proof. But some kids don't and my sweet lil' boy is living proof.

Anyone adopting from Russia needs to go in with their eyes wide open...

All the best!

[beckyww]

No matter what - put an international adoption doctor on retainer and get that impartial, outside opinion of risk factors with any child.

We got Julia -then age 6 - from St. Pete. We saw no FAS/FAE indicators, and neither did our IA doc, based on videos and photos and our own observations. But at age 6 - they're a whole lot easier to see than in an infant or toddler.

You need a pro.

Becky
This Reminds Me

[amyfk]

Hi,

I wonder if the big IA doctors keep statistics on the % of children whom they see in their practices/referrals they have reviewed who have obvious indicators for FAS? I dont think it can all be picked up as from what I understand even FAE(fetal alcohol effect) may not be determined for awhile after the adoption.
My daughter has Roma roots. Roma is the politically correct term for Gypsy. My dd is part Roma at least. Anyway I dont know as a fact, but anecdotally the doctor and the social worker at her orphanage told us that the Roma babies really arent affected by alcohol abuse because it is rare in the Roma culture for women to drink except maybe on holidays. My child has no indicators of FAS/FAE at all. Unfortunately I dont have stats on this, I wish I did, Im just sharing anecdotal info. with you. I am wondering if other minorities adopted from Russia have lower incidences of FAS/FAE but I dont know offhand.
I wish you luck wherever you end up on your journey,
Amy K, NJ

[GCS]

How old of a child are you interested in adopting? It is easier for a dr. to dx FASD in an older child, but many children can be on spectrum with very little early evidence.

It is something you have to consider especially when adopting from an EE country or domestically.

You would not see a dx of FASD on a Russian referral medical form. Russian drs. do not recognize this.

[jaimehs]

Most agencies require you to hire an international physician from the US to evaluate your referral before you decide to move forward with the adoption. This is one of the main things they look for. In the 1990s FAS was common in adopted children and not only children from Russia. Now this is the number one thing that they look for first.

[Waiting_for_my_baby]

Originally Posted by sugarandspice697

Is it very common for Russia children to FAS/FAE and NOT be dianosted before being adopt?

I unfortunatly have dealt with this a couple of times in the past year. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions & I can share my experience.

[N.Gwinn]

Not only is FAS much more common that we would wish, there are also some VD's that are common in women and can have an affect on the development of the developing babies. So, I would be on the lookout for both.

On the other hand, here is how my husband and I looked at the risk: Even when you conceive a child of your own, you don't really know what God is going to give you. My sister-in-law's son is autistic. She had no idea that this set of problems was coming her way, but it does not change the love. We went into our adoption with the idea that we would get what God intended and now that our son is home, we know that we are right. Ian is our gift from God, perfect for us in every way.

The other thing you may want to think about, as you consider how much you can handle and what you are ready for, is that any child already born with FAS in Russia has to grow up whether you adopt him/her or not. The chances that s/he will have a chance at a good life go way up in a home with a loving parent or two.

Good luck as ponder the questions and move through the process.

[ddahl]

I think both of the DX you are asking about are to be expected in most children available for adoption in Russia. I also think that when considering adopting from Russia I was originally most concerned about those two spectrum issues myself and have come to realize there are many other hidden issues that are not disclosed to prospective adopting parents. Drugs are very prevalent in Russia, Heroin, meth and strange chemicals that they breath off rags. Its frightening but the success stories far out weigh the bad in my opinion. We hired an expert and he gave us his professional opinion and at the end of the day we got the child we were meant to have. No matter what we love him to pieces. No regrets! Best of luck to you!

[Kasey]

We went into our adoptions knowing educating ourselves alot about potential issues and diagnoses. Having an IA doc review records, look at pics and videos and help you assess risk is great and help you catch alot of red flags, but we also just went on the assumption that our kiddos were exposed. For our first, I definitely assumed and sicne he had very small HC coming home, we will always keep our eyes open for any issues down the road, but so far so good at 5 yrs old (came home at 5 1/2 months). Our second guy had known exposure to an illegal drug (he went thru withdrawal at birth) and alcohol. we consulted with our IA doc and were comfortable with the risks. Again going on 3 years home, he is doing well, delayed in speech but otherwise right on target. but again we will always keep our eyes open for any issues as he gets into the school years. we just felt ok with the risks we were given. You have to have a comfort level which is why it is so important to have the support of an IA group.
best wishes!