More than 20,000 children join U.S. families through international adoption each year, according to Adoptive Families magazine. People choose international adoption for different reasons--international adoptions may be easier for some people to qualify for, they may have more predictable waiting times and costs than domestic adoptions, and like domestic adoptions, they provide a family for a child who would not otherwise have one. As with any method of growing your family, international adoption comes with some challenges.
Limited Health Information
International adoption often means incomplete or inaccurate health information, according to Adoptive Families. Though many international adoption agencies work to procure as much information as they can, you may not learn your child's family health history or even receive an accurate medical history for your child. Sometimes health problems reveal themselves post-adoption--and sometimes those health problems can be serious, according to Quebec's Office of International Adoption. The University of Minnesota's Adoption Medicine Program and Clinic recommends getting your child a complete physical within the first few weeks of adoption to establish a starting point for a complete medical history.
Culture Clash
International adoption means bringing a child into your home who is from a completely different culture. Many adoptive families look forward to the cultural opportunities that these differences present, but there are challenges as well. Older children, especially, may use behaviors that raise eyebrows or cause problems in the U.S. but are completely acceptable in their home country, according to according to Quebec's Office of International Adoption. Teaching your child how to fit into his new American lifestyle while preserving his cultural identity may be one of the biggest challenges parents who adopt internationally face.
Uncertain Wait Times
International adoptions rely on the laws of different countries, which means they can open, close and change without much notice. You may find that your wait for placement is longer than you originally anticipated or that your placement comes up much sooner than you expected, leaving you insufficient time to prepare for your growing family, says the Quebec Office of International Adoption.
