Showing posts with label sign language. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sign language. Show all posts
Sunday, December 6, 2015
f o u N d - an adoption story
My children were invited to be a part of this video that was the senior project of a friend. She is a Communications major who interned with Dr. Mary Staat at the Cincinnati Children's International Adoption Center and this video was donated to them for their use. I am privileged to know many of these great kids. Their stories are all true. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Adopting a Child with Cerebral Palsy
World Cerebral Palsy Day is the 1st Wednesday of October each year. In honor of my children who face this every day of their lives, and in honor of "Susy" whom I advocate for, I'm reposting an article that I wrote for another publication several months ago.
In the mid 1980's our family adopted two biological brothers from the USA's foster care system. Both were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Fast forward to 2013 when we first adopted from China, cerebral palsy was a special need that was familiar to us and one we were confident in handling.
According to http://cerebralpalsy.org, “Cerebral palsy is considered a neurological disorder caused by a non-progressive brain injury or malformation that occurs while the child’s brain is under development. Cerebral palsy primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination.“ So while cerebral palsy is a permanent condition, it doesn't become “worse.” My experience has been that consistent therapy improves skills tremendously.
Everyone is wired a bit differently, and for me, dealing with an ongoing mobility issue was nonthreatening. Let's be real; as an older mom (who moves a little slower myself these days) taking a more leisurely pace to wait for a child with mobility issues wasn't going to change my life THAT much. I was far more afraid of a life threatening special need, or one requiring many surgeries and hospitalizations. Those of you who face those situations every day have my highest respect. It just wasn't something that I felt equipped to handle. Our girls came to us at the age of six and seven years, from the same orphanage, and both diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can be tricky to understand since it can present itself in so many ways. The child might merely have weakness on one side of their body; they could be wheelchair bound and require help with all of their personal needs, or anything in between. When you couple a somewhat catch all diagnosis with the probable lack of stimulation in an institutional setting it becomes very difficult to know what you may face when your child comes home.
This is the story of our two little girls, close in age, from the same orphanage with a similar diagnosis, and how differently the diagnosis presented itself. The diagnosis presented differently not only because of the severity of the CP, but also in large part due to how differently they were raised, even within the same institution. This is also the story of how far someone can advance their skills when given the chance.
Abigail's long, beautiful hair was the outward evidence of her
favor with the staff. She lived in a foster apartment inside her
orphanage. She spent much of her daytime hours in the physical
therapy room at her SWI. During our process for Abigail we
received numerous updated photos from the SWI, and it was very
evident that someone cared very much about her.
Jennifer's original referral photo looked as if she was a boy. Like so many of the girls from her SWI, her hair was cut in a short bob, and she wore the school uniform. She spent much of her time sitting in her wheelchair, unable to participate in the camps that agencies held, or the field trips that the more mobile children experienced. Were it not for other adoptive parents visiting the SWI, we wouldn't have received even one additional photo of her during our adoption process. When we visited the SWI and asked questions it seemed as if our daughter had been invisible. No one seemed to know anything about her.
“Family Day” was a dramatically different experience for our girls. Abigail was terrified and came to us screaming, while literally being dragged by a nanny on each side. Jennifer was wheeled out calmly in her chair, took my hand and looked at me as if to say, “What took you so long?”
Abigail refused to let me touch her for an entire week. The only time I could get near was when I painted her fingernails! Jennifer pretty much soaked up all the attention I could give her. But once we arrived home they totally reversed roles. Abigail quickly settled in to family life, having been part of a family before. Jennifer was in shock. We witnessed many rages with throwing (and breaking) things, hitting, biting, and at bedtime she would scream for up to two hours. This wasn't a normal, “I don't want to go to sleep” cry, but a deafening, guttural sound unlike any noise I had ever heard. She had no understanding of a family, no coping skills, and no means to self regulate. Inside was a little girl who desperately wanted to fit in and “be like everyone else” but she simply couldn't find her way through.
Jennifer has come a long way in two years. While an occasional melt down still happens, we have learned to watch for triggers to preempt them. With lots of love and patience she is learning to self regulate. Her bedtime screaming routine has long since become just a bad memory. She has blossomed into a cherished daughter who enthusiastically takes every opportunity offered to her. Jen's is a moderate CP diagnosis, presenting with very tight muscles. She wears knee high AFOs (orthodics). As of the summer of 2015 she is only using her walker when we are away from home. Her therapist is very optimistic that in time she will no longer require it at all.. Her incontinence (which required diapers when she came to us) ended up being caused by overactive bladder. Medicine taken once a day has totally made the difference for her. Her dream to be “like the other kids?” She is achieving it through her determination to keep trying.
I'm happy to report that Abigail is now a “Mama's girl.” While Jen prefers to be outdoors on the swingset or in the sandbox, Abigail would rather hang around with me inside and watch (or help!) with the housework. She remains much more timid about trying new experiences. Hers is a mild CP diagnosis, presenting primarily as weakness. She walks with a wide gate, wears ankle high AFOs, and her speech is very poor. She is extremely bright and has an impressive vocabulary in American Sign Language which helps us to understand her better. Her therapist is optimistic that she has not yet reached her potential with verbal skills.
Living with cerebral palsy often means regular ongoing therapy. We are fortunate to be able to schedule both of the girls at the same clinic at the same time, so our hours there do double duty! Our girls receive therapy twice a week, and they include Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy.
My point? Two girls from the
same orphanage, adopted at
the same time with a similar
diagnosis are as different as night and day. And really, isn't that
often the case with biological siblings also? Our
girls are individuals who
are so much more than their CP
diagnosis. A
loving family, proper therapy, and in Jen's case medical equipment
and medication have changed
their lives. Cerebral
palsy really isn't so scary.
While you may not be able to tell a child's potential from their file, you can predict that whatever their situation, their lives will be so much better with the love of a family and the medical support available in the States. I have found it (four times over!) to be a manageable need. If you are considering adoption, will you please give "Susy's" file a serious look? She is a gorgeous little girl from China who will be six in November. Her file states her special need as being Cerebral Palsy, but really her biggest need is that of a family!
Her file is on the "shared list" which means any agency can facilitate her adoption. I've spoken with a case manager at WACAP (they handled three of our adoptions and I highly recommend them) and was told that they would give a $4000 grant towards Susy's adoption expenses (they call her Zuza) when using their agency. Please give her a chance!
UPDATE: My advocacy for Susy has paid off, and she has a family working hard to quickly process their paperwork! WE ended up getting our Preapproval from China in December of 2015. We are thrilled that we get to be her parents!
In the mid 1980's our family adopted two biological brothers from the USA's foster care system. Both were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Fast forward to 2013 when we first adopted from China, cerebral palsy was a special need that was familiar to us and one we were confident in handling.
According to http://cerebralpalsy.org, “Cerebral palsy is considered a neurological disorder caused by a non-progressive brain injury or malformation that occurs while the child’s brain is under development. Cerebral palsy primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination.“ So while cerebral palsy is a permanent condition, it doesn't become “worse.” My experience has been that consistent therapy improves skills tremendously.
Everyone is wired a bit differently, and for me, dealing with an ongoing mobility issue was nonthreatening. Let's be real; as an older mom (who moves a little slower myself these days) taking a more leisurely pace to wait for a child with mobility issues wasn't going to change my life THAT much. I was far more afraid of a life threatening special need, or one requiring many surgeries and hospitalizations. Those of you who face those situations every day have my highest respect. It just wasn't something that I felt equipped to handle. Our girls came to us at the age of six and seven years, from the same orphanage, and both diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can be tricky to understand since it can present itself in so many ways. The child might merely have weakness on one side of their body; they could be wheelchair bound and require help with all of their personal needs, or anything in between. When you couple a somewhat catch all diagnosis with the probable lack of stimulation in an institutional setting it becomes very difficult to know what you may face when your child comes home.
This is the story of our two little girls, close in age, from the same orphanage with a similar diagnosis, and how differently the diagnosis presented itself. The diagnosis presented differently not only because of the severity of the CP, but also in large part due to how differently they were raised, even within the same institution. This is also the story of how far someone can advance their skills when given the chance.
Jennifer's original referral photo looked as if she was a boy. Like so many of the girls from her SWI, her hair was cut in a short bob, and she wore the school uniform. She spent much of her time sitting in her wheelchair, unable to participate in the camps that agencies held, or the field trips that the more mobile children experienced. Were it not for other adoptive parents visiting the SWI, we wouldn't have received even one additional photo of her during our adoption process. When we visited the SWI and asked questions it seemed as if our daughter had been invisible. No one seemed to know anything about her.
“Family Day” was a dramatically different experience for our girls. Abigail was terrified and came to us screaming, while literally being dragged by a nanny on each side. Jennifer was wheeled out calmly in her chair, took my hand and looked at me as if to say, “What took you so long?”
Abigail refused to let me touch her for an entire week. The only time I could get near was when I painted her fingernails! Jennifer pretty much soaked up all the attention I could give her. But once we arrived home they totally reversed roles. Abigail quickly settled in to family life, having been part of a family before. Jennifer was in shock. We witnessed many rages with throwing (and breaking) things, hitting, biting, and at bedtime she would scream for up to two hours. This wasn't a normal, “I don't want to go to sleep” cry, but a deafening, guttural sound unlike any noise I had ever heard. She had no understanding of a family, no coping skills, and no means to self regulate. Inside was a little girl who desperately wanted to fit in and “be like everyone else” but she simply couldn't find her way through.
Jennifer has come a long way in two years. While an occasional melt down still happens, we have learned to watch for triggers to preempt them. With lots of love and patience she is learning to self regulate. Her bedtime screaming routine has long since become just a bad memory. She has blossomed into a cherished daughter who enthusiastically takes every opportunity offered to her. Jen's is a moderate CP diagnosis, presenting with very tight muscles. She wears knee high AFOs (orthodics). As of the summer of 2015 she is only using her walker when we are away from home. Her therapist is very optimistic that in time she will no longer require it at all.. Her incontinence (which required diapers when she came to us) ended up being caused by overactive bladder. Medicine taken once a day has totally made the difference for her. Her dream to be “like the other kids?” She is achieving it through her determination to keep trying.
I'm happy to report that Abigail is now a “Mama's girl.” While Jen prefers to be outdoors on the swingset or in the sandbox, Abigail would rather hang around with me inside and watch (or help!) with the housework. She remains much more timid about trying new experiences. Hers is a mild CP diagnosis, presenting primarily as weakness. She walks with a wide gate, wears ankle high AFOs, and her speech is very poor. She is extremely bright and has an impressive vocabulary in American Sign Language which helps us to understand her better. Her therapist is optimistic that she has not yet reached her potential with verbal skills.
Living with cerebral palsy often means regular ongoing therapy. We are fortunate to be able to schedule both of the girls at the same clinic at the same time, so our hours there do double duty! Our girls receive therapy twice a week, and they include Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy.
While you may not be able to tell a child's potential from their file, you can predict that whatever their situation, their lives will be so much better with the love of a family and the medical support available in the States. I have found it (four times over!) to be a manageable need. If you are considering adoption, will you please give "Susy's" file a serious look? She is a gorgeous little girl from China who will be six in November. Her file states her special need as being Cerebral Palsy, but really her biggest need is that of a family!
Her file is on the "shared list" which means any agency can facilitate her adoption. I've spoken with a case manager at WACAP (they handled three of our adoptions and I highly recommend them) and was told that they would give a $4000 grant towards Susy's adoption expenses (they call her Zuza) when using their agency. Please give her a chance!
UPDATE: My advocacy for Susy has paid off, and she has a family working hard to quickly process their paperwork! WE ended up getting our Preapproval from China in December of 2015. We are thrilled that we get to be her parents!
Friday, October 2, 2015
Art Enrichment Day
Once a month the younger three kids and I get to go to this beautiful mansion which has been made into an art center.
We are shown a presentation on a country and then the activities relate to the country. Last month was England. The kids were especially interested in the presentation this month because it was about CHINA!!!! One thing we learned was that China was among the first to introduce paper. So we made paper from recycled material. They began by tearing up little pieces of newspaper and putting them in a bucket of water.
The staff used a blender to make "newspaper smoothies" then added it to a bucket of pulp. The kids used a screen to dip out and drain the newspaper pulp which had been added to some other papers that the staff put in the bucket previously.
Katie was so kind to my kids. She answered all of Abigail's many questions about her kids, her pets, her husband (in that order) and put out the effort to learn several of the signs that Abigail uses so she could communicate better with her. That was above and beyond our expectations, and so appreciated. Here Katie is showing Pat how to press water out of the paper pulp with a sponge.
Once they had gotten most of the water out of the pulp it was tapped off the screen an onto a paper plate to dry while the kids moved on to the clay project.
Since tea is a big deal in China, the kids made tea pots.
The art center has a wonderful room with a HUGE kiln. And the staff is so awesome with the kids. We can't wait to go back next month!
We are shown a presentation on a country and then the activities relate to the country. Last month was England. The kids were especially interested in the presentation this month because it was about CHINA!!!! One thing we learned was that China was among the first to introduce paper. So we made paper from recycled material. They began by tearing up little pieces of newspaper and putting them in a bucket of water.
The staff used a blender to make "newspaper smoothies" then added it to a bucket of pulp. The kids used a screen to dip out and drain the newspaper pulp which had been added to some other papers that the staff put in the bucket previously.
Katie was so kind to my kids. She answered all of Abigail's many questions about her kids, her pets, her husband (in that order) and put out the effort to learn several of the signs that Abigail uses so she could communicate better with her. That was above and beyond our expectations, and so appreciated. Here Katie is showing Pat how to press water out of the paper pulp with a sponge.
Once they had gotten most of the water out of the pulp it was tapped off the screen an onto a paper plate to dry while the kids moved on to the clay project.
Since tea is a big deal in China, the kids made tea pots.
 |
| Pat's |
 |
| Jennifer's |
 |
| Abigail's |
Sunday, August 16, 2015
The Gallaudet Children's Dictionary of American Sign Language
As the mother to children whose speech is affected by CP, I'm always interested in new books on signing since my children use both sign and verbal utterances to communicate. The book begins with a basic why and how to of ASL and quickly moves into fingerspelling. It explains nicely the use of facial expressions. We then move into the dictionary part, and oh what a treat this is! As I work with my girls it is often a challenge to quickly find the word I want to teach them, and here they are in alphabetical order!
The illustrations of each word is clear, colorful, and eyecatching while the illustration of the sign is done in an almost shadow effect in black and white. I love it!
There are over 350 pages and most common words that *I* was looking for are included. The book's description says there is a DVD that goes along with this book though it wasn't included in my digital version for the book review. I likely will purchase a paper copy of this one to keep in my reference library!
AND... while we are on the subject. An online friend sent me the link to something FABULOUS and FREE! If you are looking for sign language help, many, many words and sentences for common needs are found in this video by an ASL interpreter.
http://newdaycreations.com/foster/signlanguage/index.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)