Search Results for: adoption attachment parenting attachment disorders

“Wrongful Adoption” Lawsuits

Occasionally one hears of adoptive parents suing an agency for “wrongful adoption”. The parents usually claim that after they adopted the child, the child began to exhibit special needs and/or behaviors that were unexpected. For example, a child who sustained extensive sexual and physical abuse is considered at risk for attachment disorders. Children who were abused themselves also are at risk for becoming abusers of others. A child may have disabilities related to fetal alcohol exposure. The parents claim that the agency either knew about these problems, or factors putting the children at high risk for these problems, and withheld … Continue reading →

Stockholm Syndrome and Attachment Disorders: My Thoughts

It might seem odd that I find a connection between Stockholm Syndrome and Attachment Disorder but, for some strange reason I do. In our walk as adoptive parents I have found many who doubt the true depth of an attachment disorder, and tell us they simply don’t understand what the problem might be with a child who can’t accept and love parents after living a difficult life. Yet, these same doubters are willing and able to accept the fact that a well adjusted person could be kidnapped and abused into bonding with their captors? Stockholm Syndrome is a term used … Continue reading →

Attaching in Adoption by: Deborah Gray

Attaching in Adoption Practical Tools for Today’s Parents by Deborah Gray is in-depth guidebook for any adoptive parent but especially for parents who adopt an older child. As a clinical social worker, Gray has hands-on experience and offers child, family, and individual therapy specializing in attachment, grief and trauma. Gray continues to work in the field at the Northwest Attachment Center in Kirkland, Washington. Attaching in Adoption provides adoptive parents and extended families a clear and understandable picture of how children and families adjust post placement and adoption. Gray details the issues families adopting older children most often face. Her … Continue reading →

Glossary of Special Needs Adoption-Related Terms “A”

Special Needs and Adoption-Related Terms: Adoption terms and special needs words may vary from agency to agency. The terms used in this Special Needs Adoption-Related Glossary may be slightly different from one State to another. A | B | C | D | E-F | G-H-I | J-K-L | M | N-O | P | Q-R | S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z Abuse: Harm inflicted on a person through physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual means; may cause victim to develop emotional or behavioral problems, some of which may not appear until later in life. Help from an experienced counselor or therapists may … Continue reading →

The Symptoms of Reactive Attachment Disorder

The clinical, medical definition and The Diagnostic Criteria For Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) may be difficult to read and understand. Unless, you are the parent of a RAD child and then for some reason those few paragraphs mean much more. The symptoms of Reactive Attachment Disorder parents generally witness are far more specific and obvious. Some of the commons Attachment Disorder Symptoms include: A child who is superficially engaging and charming with strangers and visitors. A child who is Indiscriminately affectionate with strangers, including hugging and talking about intimate family details. A Child who fails to make or maintain eye … Continue reading →

The Diagnostic Criteria For Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)

My new neighbor called me this afternoon to talk about The Letter, About Our RAD Daughter. We had a short conversation and for as long as it last there is a chance she might be able to understand the situation. It’s so hard to tell people about my daughter’s life in a way they could possibly understand. People don’t want to hear what happens to some children. Some people can’t hear even when they are told about it. Most people can’t imagine. I have learned to be much less dramatic about “How” my little girl became my daughter when she … Continue reading →

Attachment Parenting-Fun

The average person would assume that having Fun comes naturally, and maybe it does. Adoptive parents of older or special needs children often find themselves living a life that feels everything except fun. Children with attachment disorders can have a way of sabotaging anything fun. Adoptive parents consumed with adjusting to the stress of the new family, and worried about the attachment of our children can actually find themselves in a situation where Fun is but a memory. I have been there. I think most adoptive parents who had an older child placed have at some point felt their lives … Continue reading →

When There Is A Lack Of Normal Attachment. Part-2

When a child fails to experience safe, secure and nurturing attachments early in infancy there is clear evidence in their psychological development and their behavior, however the damage is usually even more serious and includes brain damage as well as developmental problems. Many children who are removed from their biological families and placed for adoption were drug and alcohol exposed before birth. Abuse and neglect can hinder the development of a babies brain. Children placed in foster care may have formed unhealthy attachments with biological parents who were not able to meet their child’s needs. Dealing with grief and loss … Continue reading →

When There Is A Lack Of Normal Attachment.

It can be difficult to define what a lack of normal attachment might look like, most adoptive parents will tell you it is one of those things you just know when you see it. Once we learn enough about attachment adoptive parents usually, feel pretty good about their child’s attachment, or terrified about the implications there may be some kind of disorder. The lists below outline some of the psychological or behavioral problems that may be seen in a child who lacks normal attachment: Conclusion Development: A child may not show the normal level of anxiety after an aggressive or … Continue reading →

Part 1 Attachment Parenting of Adopted Children

Children with attachment difficulties often have a very different view of life and what it means to be part of a family. Attachment disorders occur when a child doesn’t have a safe and secure opportunity to learn how to attach during the first three years of life. There is a lot of information about attachment disorders, and the symptoms. The purpose of this series will be about parenting for attachment with our children. Parenting for attachment is a positive way of parenting any child and regardless of the type of attachment disorder a baby, toddler or child may have parenting … Continue reading →