An Adoption Opportunity

Washington Families--

Brandon 2 years old, needs a foster to adopt placement.

Child Summary: Brandon presents as happy, healthy, and well-fed. He was born 10 weeks prematurely to his 15-year-old mother and suffered a Grade 3 brain bleed, causing him to be at increased risk for medical and developmental delays. Brandon remained in the same excellent, loving and highly skilled foster home from his discharge from the hospital until his placement in a pre-adopt home in New York a year ago. He has received not only every needed therapy, he has also received many preventive therapies and interventions, resulting in his having made tremendous gains. Due to concerns about another child in the pre-adopt home, Brandon’s ICPC approval was rescinded two weeks prior to finalization of his adoption and he has now returned to Washington.

Brandon has bonded wonderfully with his pre-adopt mother and his pre-adopt brothers. He will look at his mother and call her “mama.” He loves to receive hugs and kisses from his pre-adopt family and will eagerly give them in return. Brandon’s pre-adopt mother reports that Brandon loves to laugh and clap his hands when he is happy. He also loves to listen to music and will even dance around to the music. The ICPC worker describes how he “high 5’s” him when he visits the home.

Brandon is able to sit, stand, crawl and walk normally. He plays with toys and feeds himself. Per an evaluation in February 2010, Brandon is not legally blind but is a child with hydrocephalus that uses his head to move his eyes to get his eyes to connect with what he is supposed to see. His vision difficulties did affect his abilities in most areas; for example, he could not use utensils and ate with his hands. Brandon is now able to use a fork on his own. His pre-adopt mother is working on teaching Brandon how to use a spoon. He does a great at the dinner table and has learned appropriate manners.

His diagnoses are plagiocephaly (flat head); Prematurity; intraventricular hemorrhage grade III (the brain bleed at birth); cortical vision impairment (the visual systems of the brain do not consistently understand or interpret what the eyes see); and r/s apnea of Prematurity. A cyst on his brain was treated surgically in October 2008 to release the pressure which was causing Brandon to bang his head. A surgery in March 2010 inserted a shunt. Prior to the shunt surgery, Brandon was having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. He would frequently bang his head against his crib due to having headaches which were due to the increase amount of pressure on his brain. He is now sleeping much better during the night and no longer bangs his head.

Since he had the shunt inserted, Brandon is able to focus his eyes better and his pupils are no longer dilated. Thankfully Brandon is very much a sighted child which is great news. A swallow test in February 2010 found that Brandon no longer has difficulty swallowing and is able to eat and drink normally. He was taken off a thickening agent and has slimmed down nicely!

Brandon’s parents will need to accept and love him unconditionally no matter what levels of development he is eventually able to achieve. His parents will need to be prepared to continue ongoing monitoring of his brain cyst and to maintain therapeutic interventions including speech therapy and occupational therapy. His family will need to be located close to pediatric specialists. He does well with other children and they enjoy him!

If you would like to submit your study, please email it to me, along with a little info on your family and your location.


Thank-you,
Christy

Christy Obie-Barrett
A Family For Every Child
Heart Gallery
Executive Director
541-954-9626 cell
541-343-2856 Office
877-343-2856
541-343-2866 fax
880 Beltline Road
Springfield, OR 97477
www.afamilyforeverychild.org

Also, when I am unavailable you may call my assistant Bethany @ 541-343-2856, she will be able to help as well. info@afamilyforeverychild.org