OBJECTIVE We compared the health and well-being of adopted and biological children and examined whether observed differences may be a result of differences between these 2 groups in demographic characteristics and special health care needs. METHODS The 2003 National Survey of Children's Health was funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, an...

Sleep disorders occur in up to 25% of children and are more prevalent in children who have attention problems and attachment issues. Research shows that foster children display sleep problems, but limited knowledge exists on sleep problems in adopted children. This pilot study aimed to identify the types of sleep disorders in adopted children and associated psychosocial factors. Parents of adop...

BACKGROUND Standards of cleft care abroad differ from those in the United States, particularly in less developed countries, where international adoption rates are high. Children adopted from these countries present to plastic surgeons in the United States at various ages and states of repair. The operative and perioperative needs of these children are poorly understood. This study attempts to c...

BACKGROUND/METHODS   Sensory processing capacities of 8-12-year-old internationally adopted (IA) children who experienced prolonged institutional care (> 12 months with 75% of pre-adoption lives in institutional care) prior to adoption into family environments (PI) were compared to a group of IA children who were adopted early (< 8 months) predominantly from foster care with little or no instit...

An increasing number of internationally adopted children is coming to Italy, and their immunization status is unknown. We evaluated the immunization status of such children in Palermo, Italy. We searched for the presence of a BCG scar in 88 children, 49 boys and 39 girls (mean age 76+/-32 months), most of whom (98%) came from Eastern Europe. Presence of BCG scar was observed in 59 (67.1%) of th...

Psychological and academic adjustments were assessed in a group of 130 adopted children (six to 12 years of age) living in five different family constellations: only children, children with younger adopted siblings only, children with younger biological siblings only, children with older adopted siblings only, and children with older biological siblings only. Few differences were found from one...

BACKGROUND Experience in institutional/orphanage care has been linked to increased mental health problems. Research suggests that children adopted from institutions experience specific difficulties related to inattention/overactivity. Evidence of internalizing and conduct problems relative to non-adopted peers has been found in early childhood and early adolescence, but problems may not differ ...

BACKGROUND Psychological studies found that adopted children suffer from lack of attachment relationships in life. It is important for new parents to understand the underlying concepts before they begin to comprehend behavior issues arising out of different turbulent situations in an adopted child's life. Attachment theory facilitates in comprehending the frame of mind of these children, when t...