Adoption Doctors Medical Education Blog

As a general rule of thumb, medical information and testing of children that are being placed for international adoption is limited.  While the newborn screening is not an essential test in order to make a decision about accepting a referral, it is another piece of medical information that can make the decision process a little [...]

• Read Full Entry

As I mentioned in my introductory post that I would write about real life experiences that families with Internationally Adopted children have in the immediate Post-Adoption period in the medical field.
Today I will write about little Jeremy who is only 6 months old, and only recently arrived to the United States from Guatemala.
While [...]

• Read Full Entry

Being a physician and sharing in the lives of my families and young patients is what pediatrics is about. Every child has a story. Children that are internationally adopted have their own unique story. I wanted to somehow document my experiences with these families and share my experience with the internet community. “From the Eyes [...]

• Read Full Entry

By Stacy Jenel SmithSo Angelina Jolie is planning to adopt a third child. She told People magazine “It’s a very special thing. There’s something about making a choice, waking up and traveling somewhere and finding your family.”
Read Full Story at Angelina Jolie Part of Latest Wave of Celeb Adoptions

Share and Enjoy:

• Read Full Entry

By Simon Hooper for CNN

(CNN) — The world’s worst-kept secret was confirmed on Friday as Madonna flew out of Malawi after her nine-day “humanitarian mission” having apparently made arrangements to adopt a 13-month old boy.
Read full Story at CNN: Who benefits from celebrity adoptions? 

Share and Enjoy:

• Read Full Entry

By Stacy Jenel Smith
The controversy over Madonna’s adoption of one-year-old David Banda of Malawi has put a spotlight – and fresh scrutiny — on celebrities who adopt, especially those who take in children of different backgrounds from their own.
Read full story at Netscape Celebrity: ‘Adoption Fever’ Among Celebrities – Good or Bad?

Share and Enjoy:

• Read Full Entry

Ethiopia in 2006 has become one of the top 5 countries for American adoptions. This attraction is heightened by the beauty and appeal of the children, their ethnic diversity and their religions which encompass the Judaic, Christian and Muslim traditions. However as one of the highest ranking countries in the world for maternal mortality, malnutrition, [...]

• Read Full Entry

Are eye problems and other visual disturbances more prevalent in the internationally adopted child when compared to the general population?
Poor visual acuity is one of the most important medical factors that can contribute to poor behavioral, developmental and academic achievement in a child if left untreated.
The actual country of birth of the child is irrelevant, [...]

• Read Full Entry

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus. The virus causes liver inflammation, which interferes with proper liver function. It can eventually lead to severe, permanent liver damage and cirrhosis and may be complicated by liver cancer. Because the initial symptoms are mild, hepatitis C often goes unnoticed until [...]

• Read Full Entry

While reviewing the adoption medical abstract you may come across a cardiac finding that may require further investigation. It is important to determine if there is any cardiac abnormality which may affect the development of the child. There are some congenital heart conditions (those that you are born with) which can occur for a variety [...]

• Read Full Entry