85% of waiting children in China are labeled as “special needs.”

Most of the children included in the 85% are hardly special needs. It can be something like a cleft lip, a missing hand, epilepsy, heart defect, bad vision, or a club foot. All of those things are easily treatable or simply require minor adaptions. But because of the “special needs” label, many of these children stay on waiting lists for years.

These children all have the possibility of living a happy life with a family if adopted. It makes me sad to think that a “special needs” label, when none is warranted, could stop a sweet child from getting adopted.