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We are currently matched with siblings ( 7 and 9). The boy (9 yo) has some learning disabilities, and the mother has admitted using alcohol and probably drugs during the pregancy. My question is, will I be able to tell if the children have been affected by this right away, or is this something that will suddenly creep up when they are 17-18???? Should this be a big red flag about adopting them?:confused:
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (the newest name I've heard) is a tricky thing. Have these kids been evaluated by a geneticist? Effects often do not show up until a child starts school, or into the teen years, and occasionally into adulthood. But the latest research says that there are many interventions that you can do to help prevent the secondary effects of alcohol exposure (it's just really hard to find a therapist who can tell you what exactly those interventions should be for your particular child). Are you matched with these kids as adoptive placements? If so, I would highly recommend not signing anything until they have both been evaluated and are recieving whatever assistance they need. The state should pay for all of this, plus it needs to be a consideration with your adoption subsidy.
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First of all, it's not fixable. Treatable, but not fixable. Alcohol effects the initial development of the brain. There's nothing you can do to fix it, but there are things you can do to help the child understand and compensate for it. Whether or not it is too much is up to you to decide. Every child with FASD is different. Depending on how much the mother drank and when, different things can be effected. Even then, fetuses that are exposed to the exact same amount on the exact same days of development can still be effected to different degrees. Common symptoms are learning disabilities and behavioral problems (such as ADHD). They often have no sense of consequences, and therefore, poor decision making. Whatever problems he has due to alcohol, he has period. It's more important to see what kind of treatment he has recieved for his problems and how he has reacted to it. I would insist on seeing his case history including the evaluation reports, and maybe even speek to whoever administered the evaluation. See if you can speak to his former foster parents, school teachers, etc. I would also highly recommend reading whatever information you can find on FASD, but caution you that a lot of it is really scary. His past is also going to be a big factor. Any child who has been moved around at his age is bound to have issues, and the alcohol exposure may just magnify them. Good luck!