International adoptions are popular with U.S. adoptive couples because, in contrast with the United States, more healthy children of different ages are available and periods spent waiting for approval of an adoption are shorter. But international adoptions have disadvantages, including children with hidden physical and psychological problems, and agencies that charge large amounts of money and engage in fraud.
Physical Problems
Americans are accustomed to the U.S. adoption system, where thorough medical assessments of adoptees are customary.
In other countries, such workups may not be possible, due to children being abandoned, or because the health care systems are not up to U.S. standards. Children may have "invisible" physical problems, such as the early stages of AIDS or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
It is best to have an independent doctor evaluate a child before adopting the child. If this is not possible, Dr. Robert Needlman, in "Medical Issues in International Adoption," posted on Dr. Spock.com, suggests that after the adoption is final, the adoptive parents should take the child to a clinic that specializes in medical evaluations of international adoptees, as many of the child's medical problems may be unfamiliar to U.S. pediatricians.
Mental Problems
International adoptees may have hidden mental problems. The most frequent illnesses are reactive attachment disorder and sensory integration dysfunction, both of which often appear in children who have been institutionalized most of their lives in orphanages, where they received little attention or affection.
In "Symptoms, Causes and Research," a collection of information produced by the Attachment Disorder Site, children suffering from attachment disorder are described as exhibiting extreme anger and defiance, rejection of parental affection, a lack of remorse, manipulative behavior and destructive behavior to self and others. The illness is attributed to the children not getting enough loving attention from a caretaker during the first three years of life.
An essay on Adoption.com, "Medical Issues in Internationally Adopted Children," advises how to detect symptoms of attachment disorder in a video of a child.
Sensory integration dysfunction, also known as sensory integration disorder or sensory processing disorder, is thought to occur in adoptees who spent their early infancy confined to institutional cribs instead of being able to explore their surroundings.
A child who has sensory integration dysfunction may overreact to repetitive noises, cold, heat and other stimuli with inappropriate withdrawal, clumsiness or anger.
Both disorders are being studied and treatment is available, but recovery is not easy.
High Costs and Fraud
International adoption has become a big business, and like any business, there are cases of overcharging and outright fraud. In the Adoption Institute's essay, "Adoption Facts," information is provided about countries where excessive financial demands are made on adoptive parents and possible fraudulent adoptions are being processed.
Adoptive parents can take measures to protect themselves from excessive costs and fraud by consulting "The Adoption Agency Checklist," offered by Adoptionagencychecklist.com, which describes ways to determine if an international adoption agency is truly honest.
