As an experienced international adoption specialist for 11 years, I’ve seen a variety of medical conditions with children available for adoption with various international programs. However, a recent agency change has opened my eyes to a country I had always been interested in, but never had the opportunity to serve through adoption: India.
As I search the waiting child list issued by India, I am amazed and perplexed at the number of children available with conditions that are either correctable or manageable. Some of the conditions are even sought after in other countries as a humanitarian choice in adoption. Babies, toddlers, young children and older children with HIV, club foot, cleft palate and/or lip, heart defects, limb differences and other such conditions have waited years for families on the India list.
One condition I had not previously seen appears quite often on the India list: ambiguous genitalia or other gender disorders. Of the 82 children ages 0-2 currently listed on the India waiting child list, at least three have some type of gender condition.
The Mayo Clinic defines ambiguous genitalia as:
Ambiguous genitalia is a rare condition in which an infant's external genitals don't appear to be clearly either male or female. In a baby with ambiguous genitalia, the genitals may not be well-formed or the baby may have characteristics of both sexes. The external sex organs may not match the internal sex organs or genetic sex.Ambiguous genitalia isn't a disease. It's a sign of a condition that affects sexual development, and it's referred to as a disorder of sexual development.
More information about ambiguous genitalia, including causes and treatment, can be found at the above referred-to link. There are many options for corrective treatment for a child born with ambiguous genitalia, all that is needed is the right family that is able to care for the child. With the medical resources in the USA, many children with this condition get proper treatment, and thrive with their families. In India, where conditions like this carry heavily negative social stigmas, these children may never get the care or love they deserve, and for many is the sole reason why they are in the orphange.
Due to privacy regulations, India does not allow children to be photolisted on such sites as RainbowKids. While I understand the reasons for the privacy of the children, these limitations can decrease the chances that these beautiful children will find homes, simply because they do not have the exposure as children with other programs may have. However, if more people knew about the India program and the wonderful children that are available, more people would open their hearts and homes so these little ones would be orphans no more.
To adopt from India, parents must be physically, mentally, and emotionally stable with no threatening medical conditions, as well as be financially stable. Married couples must have been married at least two years. Single women can adopt children of either gender, while single males are only allowed to adopt boys. India does impose age limits as follows:
Families are not allowed to already have more than four children in the home. As always, USCIS and state regulations also apply with regard to qualifications of adoptive parents.
Families must first complete their adoption paperwork and obtain USCIS approval before being eligible to be matched with a child. However, once a family’s paperwork is complete, their agency can immediately start searching the waiting child list for a child that meets the family’s desired and approved criteria. The more open a family is with regard to age, gender and special needs, the more likely they are to be matched with a child quickly and start the official adoption process.
Click here to view waiting children with Ambiguous Genitalia
Child in the photo is a stock photo and not available for adoption. International Adoption Net suggests all families talk to a licensed pediatrician for all medical advice and information when considering a child for adoption. Families are approved for children with medical conditions on a case by case basis after reviewing the family's qualifications as best determined by the placement agency.
International Adoption Net (IAN) is a full-service, non-profit child placement agency licensed in Colorado, New York and Florida. We offer full-service adoption placement services for: China, Ethiopia, Bulgaria, India, and Mexico, as well as Domestic. IAN also provides home study and post placement services in Colorado and Florida. IAN fully complies with the Hague Convention and is Hague accredited.
IAN focuses on programs with hundreds of waiting children available, such as Bulgaria, Mexico,India and China. These children are all living in orphanages, and have been pre-approved by the local authorities for international adoption. This means that all efforts to find a local option have been exhausted. Many of these children are just on there because they have some minor medical needs (sometimes there are even already treated) or because they are a little older. While the orphanages do the best they can, there is no comparison to a loving, committed family, and the proper medical care. Children adopted through these programs thrive in the loving care of their families. We hear time and again how amazed families are by the changes in their child, and what a blessing these children are each day! We hope you will consider if these programs could be the right option for your family! Your life, and most importantly the child's life, will never be the same!!
