The Children

Due in large part to China’s “One Child Policy,” children with physical handicaps are sometimes abandoned by their birth parents, only to enter state-run orphanages with little hope of being adopted. Fortunately, many families are now considering bringing these special children into their homes.

Waiting Children are both boys and girls and range in age from eight months to thirteen years, though most children fall between about two and four. (We see few children under twelve months of age.)  Waiting Children face special needs such as cleft lip and palate, congenital heart disease, hepatitis B, missing or malformed limbs,

and vision or hearing issues, etc. While some special needs may be considered minor in the US , such as a facial birthmark or extra digits, other conditions may be more severe and even comprise multiple issues. About 15% of the children seen in CCAI's Waiting Child program have more than one special need. Families considering the Waiting Child Program should carefully evaluate and research the special needs they are prepared to accept.

If your family has completed a Medical Conditions Checklist, CCAI will notify you immediately if we receive information on a child that matches your family’s interests. Families are also welcome to check in with the program regularly for information and updates.

The information provided on these children includes several photographs, a physical examination (typically including a blood test, urine test, chest x-ray results, hepatitis B panel,and HIV/syphilis tests), basic developmental information, and background information, generally outlining the child’s personality, preferences, history in the orphanage, and daily

This chart provides a breakdown of the special needs most
commonly seen in the Waiting Child Program.

routine. All of this information is translated and is available for families to review when considering a Waiting Child.

CCAI will request any available updates for families on the child they are considering, but we cannot guarantee the availability of such information.

A Reminder
As stated on CCAI’s Application for Adoption, it is important for families to remember that “a child may be placed with you with physical and/or emotional problems, minor or major, that have remained partially or totally undiagnosed and which were unknown to CCAI.” Especially when considering a special needs or older child, CCAI encourages families to work with a pediatrician, medical specialist, insurance company, and social worker to ensure that they are physically, financially, emotionally, and practically prepared to parent their Waiting Child.