Waiting Children

Thank you so much for your interest in our Waiting Child Program! Due in large part to the pressure of China’s “One Child Policy,” the high cost of medical expenses, and fear of discrimination, many children with medical special needs are abandoned by their birth parents, only to enter state-run orphanages with little hope of being adopted in China. Fortunately, many loving American families are now considering bringing these special children into their homes, giving them not only the best medical care, but more importantly hope, dignity, and the love of a permanent family.

These very special children with varying degrees of medical conditions are between the ages of 8 months and 13 years, most often between about 1 and 3 years of age. On rare occasion, older children (ages 7 to 13) with no known medical conditions are available for adoption in the Waiting Child Program.

Waiting Children have special needs such as cleft lip and palate, congenital heart disease, missing or malformed limbs, and vision or hearing issues, etc. While some special needs may be considered minor in the US, other conditions may be more severe and even encompass multiple issues. About 15% of the children seen in our 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. Please visit Medical Glossary page with pictures.

The information provided by the China Center of Adoption Affairs, the Chinese central government agency in charge of international adoption affairs, on these children includes:

• Several photographs
• A physical examination (typically including a blood test, urine test, hepatitis B panel, and HIV/syphilis tests)
• Basic developmental information
• Background information, generally outlining the child’s personality, preferences, history in the orphanage, and daily 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 Waiting 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.