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Management of the adopted child in the craniofacial clinic
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Disabilities, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52242-21011, USA.
Insights
Adoption trends show more parents accepting children with special needs, including those with cleft lip and palate. Medical providers must consider unique factors for these children in craniofacial clinics.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric medicine
- Adoption studies
- Craniofacial anomalies
Background:
- Decreased availability of infants for adoption has led to increased willingness among parents to adopt diverse children.
- This includes children of different ethnicities, nationalities, older children, and those with special needs.
Observation:
- Children with special needs, such as cleft lip and palate, are increasingly presenting at cleft palate and craniofacial clinics.
- Medical professionals require awareness of specific considerations for these children's care.
Findings:
- Multidisciplinary management of adopted children with special needs requires attention to legal status, medical and genetic history, and developmental progress.
- Emotional and behavioral concerns, alongside the necessity for counseling, are critical components of their overall care plan.
Implications:
- Healthcare providers must adopt a comprehensive, individualized approach to managing adopted children with special needs.
- Understanding these unique psychosocial and medical factors is crucial for effective treatment in craniofacial and cleft palate clinics.
Abstract:
Because of the decrease in the number of children available for adoption, there has been an increase in frequency of parents who are willing to adopt children of different ethnic and racial groups, children from other countries, older children, and children with special needs. More of these children, particularly those with special needs such as cleft lip and palate, are being seen in cleft palate or craniofacial clinics. It is important that medical care providers understand some of the potential special considerations surrounding their care. Legal status, history, medical history, genetic history, development, emotional and behavioral concerns, and the need for counseling are management issues that need to be considered in the overall multidisciplinary management of these children.