Many think of tuberculosis as a thing of the past, but it’s one of the top ten causes of death worldwide. Here, learn what TB tests your adoptive child might need.
Ask AF: What Adoptive Parents Need to Know About Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a contagious virus that can be passed from a mother to a baby at or around the time of birth. It can also be passed from one child to another in an orphanage, through blood or body fluids.
List of Recommended Post-Arrival Medical Evaluations
Adapted from an article by Deborah Borchers, M.D.
Ask the Doctor: Dental Care for Kids
What can I do to care for my children’s teeth and protect them from future dental problems?
Ask the Doctor: How Do I Feed My Newborn?
Everything you need to know about bonding with and nourishing your child during feeding times, from an adoption medicine expert.
Ask the Doctor: Pre-Adoption Medical Assessment
What kind of referral information will I receive about a child available for adoption, and how do I assess it?
Ask AF: Years of Sleep Struggles
My seven-year-old daughter, adopted at age three, can’t fall sleep without skin-to-skin contact (stroking her arm or back).
Ask the Doctor: Asthma
Our child’s referral says he has asthma. How will this affect him? What can we do to optimize his care?
Easing the Post-Adoption Adjustment
We’re about to adopt a toddler. How can we ease his adjustment during our first weeks as a family?
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
If you’re worried the child you’re adopting has been exposed to alcohol prenatally, what should you watch out for?
Parenting to Promote Attachment
What’s the best way to facilitate attachment with our newly adopted baby?
Prenatal Drug Exposure — What Parents Need to Know
If there’s a possibility that the baby you are planning to adopt was exposed to drugs in utero, what should you be prepared for?
Post-Adoption Check-Ups
When you bring your child for their first post-adoption check-up, what should the doctor be looking for?
What to Expect: Special Needs Adoption
I’m considering a special-needs adoption. What might a referral indicate?
Ask AF: Rocking and Sleep
Rocking is a common sensory-seeking behavior, particularly for children who spent time in institutionalized settings.
Ask AF: Why Won’t My Child Stop Eating?
Answers to your parenting questions.
Ask AF: How Do I Find an Adoption Medicine Physician?
Is there a certification process for physicians who specialize in international adoption?
Ask AF: Insurance Hassles
Answers to your parenting questions.
Ask AF: When Kids Pick at Skin
Answers to your parenting questions.
Finding a Pediatrician
If you know nothing about the birth family’s medical history, or your child’s medical records are incomplete, you’ll want a medical professional with first-rate diagnostic skills to focus on areas of possible concern.