Adoption & Child Wellness
This month, Pregnancy & Adoption Support is focusing on adoption and child wellness. We want adoptive families to know how important it is to find a pediatrician who is adoption competent, no matter the type of adoption (infant/domestic, foster care, international) or the age of the child at the time of adoption. What does it mean to be adoption competent? An adoption competent pediatrician will have experience caring for adopted children, knowledge of the results of in utero drug exposure and toxic stress, confidence managing reactive attachment disorder as well as neurodevelopmental deficits and PTSD. It is recommended that soon after placement, the child has a comprehensive medical evaluation to confirm and clarify an existing diagnosis, asses for any other medical issues that may not have been noted, discuss any developmental or behavioral concerns, and make appropriate referrals.
An adoption competent pediatrician may be hard to find. What do you do if you can’t find one? The most important thing is that you find a doctor who is willing to talk to you and listen to concerns you have about your child. It is also important that your doctor know when to refer you to another specialist when dealing with issues outside of their comfort level or expertise. When searching for a pediatrician consider setting up “Meet the Doctor” visits to learn about the provider and their practice. Ask them if they have experience with adoption and learn about their after-hours care and referral protocol.
Remember: You are your child’s advocate! Putting in the work to find pediatrician that understands adoption will be helpful to not only your child, but your family as a whole.
https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/hfca_foster_trauma_guide.pdf
https://adoptioncouncil.org/publications/adoption-advocate-no-92/
Contributor: Stephanie Hall, PAS Counselor