Adopting a child is a life-changing decision for both the parents and the waiting child. And while there are many relatively healthy children who wait to be adopted, there are also many children who wait for a family simply because they have a special need. Some special needs are quite minor, while others require some type of intervention or correction. Some children wait to be adopted due to a health issue requiring surgery, while others have chronic, though quite-manageable health issues. Many countires are slowly moving to special needs only adoptions. However, special needs is not as scary as it may sound. Children can be labeled with a special need for just about anything. Many special needs have no impact on the child's intelligence or ability to bond with a new family. Children with cleft lips, heart disease, or infectious disesases are also considered special needs children because they were not born "perfect". Common special needs include but are not limited to

• Cleft lips or Palates

• Heart Diesease (minor-severe)

• spina bifdia

• Missing digits or limbs

• infectious diseases (Hep B, HIV, Hep C, etc)

• Age (Over 5)

• Intellectual disablities

• Downs Syndrome 

• Burns

• Club feet

• Pigment/skin issues

• There are other special needs that are not listed here

 

Please take the time to research the needs that you as a parent would be comforatble with parenting and truly consider special needs adoption. These children are labeled as outcast in their home countries and even those with correctable needs are forever labeled as "unworthy" and will odds are never see the outside of an institution. To learn more about special needs please visit HERE