What would your 10 questions be?
Our initial report came on January 21, 2016, when we received the referral for Jiao. A little girl living in an orphanage in Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia. A few days after receiving that report, we consulted with CHOP's International Adoption Health Program. We emailed and phone conferenced with a CHOP doctor who took all of the referral information and gave her medical opinion and thoughts. On January 28th, her official report came back. With that information in hand and after consulting with our families, we sent in our Letter of Intent to adopt Jiao on January 29, 2016.
However, the doctor asked for more information and gave possible diagnoses. Those diagnoses included the following: Amniotic Band Syndrome (cause of her abnormal limb (missing left foot)), Fibular Hemimelia (fibular bone is abnormal--shortened or absent), Microcephaly (circumference of the head is smaller than normal because the brain has not developed properly or has stopped growing), and Strabismus (crossed eyes or lazy eye). We also discussed how developmental delay is almost the rule in children in institutional care. She predicted that there is 1 month of delay for every 3 months spent in an orphanage. Jiao is currently 28 months old so her developmental milestones may be around a 19 month old.
Fast forward to last Wednesday (Sept. 14th) when we received an email update. Based on the initial report from our CHOP doctor and our own curiosity, below are the questions we asked (we were allowed to ask no more than 10 questions).
1. What are her updated height, weight, and head circumference measurements?
2. What are some new milestones she's hitting? Talking? Eating? Play/social?
3. How is her left leg developing? Is it growing despite the limb deformity?
4. Please describe her mobility and how she manipulates space.
5. What are her interactions with her nannies and peers like?
6. What does she like for comfort?
7. What are some of her favorite things?
8. Can we have some updated pictures if possible?
Along with some answers to the questions above, we were emailed 15 pictures and 2 video clips that allow us a little glimpse into her life in the orphanage with her nannies and friends. She is well cared for, has access to toys and outdoor play equipment, and while her hair cut and clothes make her look a tad like a little boy, we can tell that she is happy and loved. We are unable to share these pictures online, but have shared them with our families and with our doctor at CHOP.
We ask for your prayers as we wait for a response from CHOP and that the new information could be used to further plan for the future and provide some direction on what her needs will be. Please pray that she continues to grow and develop and is a sponge for the love and teachings that her nannies provide.
