DIANA from European Union

Diana was born in May 2009 and has been diagnosed with microcephaly and moderate cognitive delays. She has been living in her current orphanage since late 2014 and has been waiting so long for her forever family to find her. Update June 2021: Diana is a hyperactive, impulsive child who likes to be the center of attention. She seeks contact with children and adults at times but does not form interpersonal relationships. She is often restless, easily overstimulated, and has poor emotional regulation. Diana has good gross motor skills but shows fine motor delays and has difficulty with attention span and focus. She reportedly understands everything that is said to her but has limited expressive language skills and does not follow rules. Diana enjoys listening to music, playing with puzzles, and coloring. She can manage everyday activities with support but needs assistance with personal hygiene. Diana deserves a family who will give her the individual attention, therapies, and support she needs to reach her fullest potential. 2019: Diana is a social girl who listens to and respects her caregivers and therapists and has formed attachments to them. She knows her environment well, understands all that is said to her, and follows basic directions. She can remain focused for up to 15 minutes when working on something she enjoys, like a puzzle. Diana continues to struggle with speech. She communicates her needs through mostly non-verbal signs and can repeat short words and numbers. While she receives some speech therapy, it is unfortunately only in a group setting. 2017: Fun-loving Diana earned the nickname “the bee” due to her petite size and high energy level. She loves giving and receiving physical affection and enjoys the company of adults and children. Diana walks, runs, climbs, throws and kicks balls with ease, and loves dancing. She understands everything that is said to her, willingly follows simple instructions, and seeks adults’ help when needed. Although she communicates primarily through non-verbal means, Diana knows the names of some animals, objects, and familiar people. She can vocalize simple words such as “yes”, “no”, “come”, and “play”, and will try to repeat words after hearing them spoken by an adult. Upon learning that our in-country representative had several papers she needed to take back with her, Diana, of her own accord, brought over an envelope for the documents. She is easily distracted, acts impulsively when overwhelmed, and shows some stereotypic movements of her limbs and body. Diana independently dresses, undresses, showers, and uses the toilet. 2015/2016: Diana is a positive, playful, mischievous, and hyperactive girl. She likes to jump on the trampoline, listen to music, complete puzzles with large pieces, and learn folk dances. Diana eats and washes her hands independently and continues to work on potty-training. She follows simple instructions and is well-oriented in familiar environments and routines. She vocalizes single words spontaneously and tries to imitate speech. Diana attends a Kindergarten program where she struggles with following the rules and completing tasks. She has made some progress in cooperation and in engaging with other children. She likes to play by herself, but makes an effort to join group activities. Our in-country representative visited Diana and found it quite easy to communicate with her. Diana understands what is said to her and responds adequately. She observes and imitates actions. Diana is a radiant girl with a great sense of humor. Weight at birth: 2.530 kg Height at birth: 48 cm Head circumference at birth: 30 cm