anyone had an infant .....

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Wendi5000]Wendi5000[/url]. I don't know about infants but my Aunt used to foster special needs children. She adopted her wonderful daughter through foster-adoption. I'll call the daughter "K". Anway K came to Aunt when she was 3 years old. K had been kept in her crib with chicken wire over the top to prevent her from trying to climb out. Her bio parents fed her slush in a bowl that they just sat in her crib. They never talked to her except maybe to whine about how hard it was having to feed her all the time. They never took her out of the crib, either. The social workers found her in this condition, naked, in a crib soiled with urine and feces and food. She couldn't talk or walk and had no social skills. It wasn't an easy road but with a lot of good therapy and a whole lot of patience and prayers, K slowly began to improve in Aunt's home. She finished school, got a decent job, and is a wonderful mother to a child of her own now. So even when it seems like there is no hope, don't give up. Don't ignore reality, either, but don't lose sight of hope. I will keep you in my prayers.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=CarolineC]CarolineC[/url]. Wendi, thank you for your reply. We are actually adopting a 2year old witha very similar history to your story, except she was in another foster home, while it happened. D was 9 months old, and placed in her 5th foster home. this foster mother left her, unattended in a crib with no toys, and took her out only for meetings, therapy and to eat spagettio's or mac and cheese. Gave her bottles constantly, and no interaction. D was removed at 23 months and came to us with the diagnosis of autism. She could not walk, talk, feed herself, pulled her hair, rocked, made no eye contact, had no social skills, and never smiled or cried. It was all environmental. She is now a typical 2 1/2 yr old, who runs, climbs, talks your ear off. She has minor delays but nothing serious. She is potty training and is very social now. we found putting her to sleep in a crib hard, so we transitioned her to a bed, and she sleeps now, which she hadn'tbeen doing really, at all. She never learned a crib was to sleep in, rather a confinement space. Her vision was also affected because she would sleep too much, and her eye muscles never strengthened, but that has corrected itself aswell. thanks again, and I am glad to hear she is doing well now

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=hope4kids]hope4kids[/url]. Is the baby connected up with Early Intervention Services yet? They can do wonders with children if the get therapies soon enough. Early Intervetion is free and available through the state. Was this baby drug or alcohol exposed? My youngest was very high tone and sickly when she was tiny. Extensive therapies have helped so much that she is advanced in every area now. Has the baby been seen by a neurologist? You mentioned that no one is quick to do much. I know it may sound strange for me to say to push and advocate for him after I have posted that I am being punished and in a huge battle for advocating for my child. But the thing is the advocating worked. I really think my daughter would be a mess if I had not fought the agency to ensure her needs were met. Hopefully your agency will respond better and not be vindictive like this agency was. Work closely with the baby's lawyer. It was my daughter's lawyer who eventually got us transferred to an agency that is EXCELLENT! It has been a world of difference with this agency. They are quick to take action and they care about the children and foster parents. I hope your agency will be like this one I am with now! It sounds like you worked wonders with your older child. I will be praying that you have the wisdom and the energy to discover what this little one needs. I hope you are blessed with a big smile from him soon!

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=megwing]megwing[/url]. Unfortunately, it sounds like this little guy has issues that go far beyond those caused by neglect. Much of the damage may be explained simply by the prematurity, or, even more likely, by the continued seizing. Yes, there can be improvement over time, with therapy, in some children who are displaying inappropriate reflexes. For instance, sometimes when certain reflexes are still present, it just takes a little longer for them to leave, or when they haven't yet developed a reflex, then sometimes they begin to do later than their peers. However, sometimes the presence of certain reflexes indicate certain degrees of brain damage, and are less likely to normalize. I agree with Hope4Kids that he should be evaluated by Early Intervention services or should be receiving therapies on an outpatient basis from the local hospital through his Medicaid. Getting services early really does make a world of difference, however, they also may need to control the seizing before you see any progress. M.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=CarolineC]CarolineC[/url]. thanks for your responses ladies. Baby A was negative at birth for drugs and alcohol, but possibly exposed during pregnancy, we will prolly never know.Mom says no, but .... it was not in his system at birth. He is hooked up with EI, Neurodevelopmental clinic's, a GREAT pedi, neurology and Gi, but with a normal EEg so far ( tho he was asleep and we haven't seen an seizure activity while sleeping) everyone is so far, taking a wait and see attitude which is really annoying me. Some of his reflexes are slowly coming back, but he still has no protective responses, and still seizing ( had 2 ER trips so far) and all they keep doing in blood work and repeat EEG...his next one is tomorrow. We do have a wonderful agency that is backing us completely and fighting with us to get his services started. EI has also taken a wait and see, for his developmental milestones, with a corrected age of 1 month old. I have been around enough kids to know something is off with this little one, and to keep getting put off, or on hold for now, is frustrating tho we haven't stopped advocating for him. I was just wondering if anyone else had a similar baby to him, so I have an idea if these will return, or not. (ps I am very familiar with seizures and the damage they cause, I care for an 11yr old with LGS and because of his seizures, functions at a newborn level, aolso have an adopted brother with epilepsy... this was the one thing I was hoping this little one would be spared of, but no such luck... now we can only hope for control) also, they are looking into whether his reflux meds are causing them...reglan is notorious for causing dystonic reactions that look like seizures, but no one wants to touch his meds until he see's a specialist and the soonest they can see him is the 9th!!!! UGH!!!

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=hope4kids]hope4kids[/url]. Definitely, definitely Reglan can cause this sort of thing!! My baby was horrible on Reglan. She was irritable and would not sleep. She cried a lot and then her head tilted so far to the left that her ear touched her shoulder. She nearly had to be hospitalized to get the Reglan out of her system.

I first got my little darlin when he was 2 days old. He had no startle reflex at all and would not have eye contact for the first 3 months. He had very low tone, already a DX of FAS. We did all kinds of tests on him ie, EEG, BAER Test (we thought he was deaf) Chromosone testing and started him in EIP. He did begin to have eye contact at about 3 mos old, and a startle reflex at about 5 mos. I forgot to mention that he was Crack/Alcohol Exposed. He is now almost 15 mos old. He is the most gentle, sweet, loving little guy. Has great eye contact....we call him the little "observer" he just takes in everything!!!! He still doesn't say very many words, and doesn't walk yet and has some eating and tactile issues that we are working on. YES you have to Advocate for these kids!!!! And be VERY ASSERTIVE to get the services that we need, but the rewards that i have been blessed with, with this precious soul far outway all the yelling i have had to do to get him what he needs and it is PAYING OFF!!!! Just hang in there and don't give up hope!!!