Roman from Bulgaria

Roman was born in April 2012. He has been diagnosed with generalized developmental disorder and hyperactivity disorder with cognitive delay and stereotypic movements. Roman’s current psychologist, who has been monitoring him for over 3 years, believes that based on the positive developmental progress Roman has shown adjustments may be made when these diagnoses are reevaluated in May 2017. In fact this psychologist states that it is always a pleasure for him to update Roman’s paperwork as each time there are new skills or achievements to report.

Roman is a strong boy who walks, runs, climbs, and likes to move heavy objects. He goes quickly from one activity to the next but can stay focused when he finds the activity particularly enjoyable. Over time Roman’s interest in toys has increased and he now becomes excited when he learns what new toys can do. He especially likes playing with musical instruments and shows rhythm when banging on the drum. Roman understands what is said to him and follows instructions. He joins in group activities, imitates other children, and distinguishes between familiar and unfamiliar people, warming to the latter once he makes certain that they are safe and accepting. One of Roman’s favorite activities is cleaning, which he does often at his foster home

Roman says several meaningful words and uses frequent vocalizations as well as nonverbal means of communication to express his emotions. He has become calmer with a noted decrease in self-aggressive behaviors, which now seem to surface mainly due to frustration over changes in his environment and fade once he adjusts. Roman attends a daycare center for children with special needs three times per week where he works with a psychologist, special education teacher, and speech therapist. He also participates in a mainstream Kindergarten class weekly, working with a resource teacher there.

Roman has lived in a loving and encouraging foster family since 2013. His foster mother strongly hopes he will be adopted to give him a chance for a better future.

Weight at Birth: 2.350 kg Weight Oct 2016: 17 kg Height at Birth: 48 cm Height Oct 2016: 115 cm

Roman continues to live with his foster family to whom he is extremely attached. His symptoms of hyperkinetic disorder, such as excitement, impulsivity, and motor agitation, are being reduced through treatment with medication. Roman’s developmental delays are assessed as moderate and much of his daily functioning is characterized by stereotypical and ritualized behaviors with a low tolerance for deviations from his schedule and expectations. Roman remains largely non-speaking but uses a variety of nonverbal communication to make himself understood. He interacts mostly with adults but shows some interest in other children and in participating in certain games, such as tag. Roman is gross-motorically active and enjoys moving his body in different ways although sometimes his movements can be disorganized. His fine motor skills are delayed, and he lacks age-appropriate tactile and visual control to become more successful with fine motor tasks. Roman can feed himself and use the restroom independently and he sleeps well. He observes household activities and sometimes turns them into games. Roman works with a speech therapist and special education teacher, attending both a Kindergarten and two full days a week at a daycare center for children with disabilities. His cognitive activity and focus are limited, making it difficult to teach him and to evaluate what he knows. He is receptively able to identify a variety of objects, shapes and colors and continues to follow directions. Roman is reluctant to acquire new skills and avoids challenging tasks and activities. He is not confident in his own abilities and needs constant encouragement and support. Roman is interested in construction machinery and vehicles and loves to play with water. He listens to songs and fairytales and enjoys musical toys. Roman has waited for a family for seven years. He would do best with parents who can address his current needs as well as additional ones which may be diagnosed later and devote a great deal of time and attention to his development.

THIS CHILD MUST BE ADOPTED FROM THE FOREIGN COUNTRY OF HIS/HER RESIDENCE.

Disclaimer: This information has been provided to Hopscotch from various sources such as foreign doctors, orphanage directors, nannies, ministry officials, foundation representatives, attorneys and translators. If you have any questions regarding the information stated in the children’s reports, please consult with your International Adoption specialist. Hopscotch cannot attest to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Information can change over time as children develop or through human error in recording data.