On an unusually cold day in Hong Kong, China my husband and I walked into an orphanage to meet a four year old child who would soon become our son. Hours later we walked out of the orphanage not only with a new family member in our presence, but with a new title as well–special needs family. At the time of adoption, our son had been diagnosed in Hong Kong with severe Autism and significant cognitive delay. We weren't entirely sure what to expect once we were home. We knew that outside of the orphanage he would be able to reach his full potential and that his diagnoses might change. As weeks turned into months, we realized that our son not only had significant special needs, but that he was deeply traumatized by his past four years of institutionalization. The first year home was a challenging time of growth and adjustment for us all. Now we are approaching the 1.5 year mark home and life seems to finally be reaching a new level of normal. Our son's diagnosis remains, but he has made remarkable progress. The most frequent question we get from others is "why?" Why would we adopt an older, special needs child with very difficult behavior who will most likely need life-long care? The answer is not simple nor is it easy to explain. My husband and I always knew that we would grow our family through adoption instead of the...

A couple shares their journey of adopting a special needs child from Hong Kong, embracing the challenges and joys along the way.

Adopting the Special Needs Child

 On an unusually cold day in Hong Kong, China my husband and I walked into an orphanage to meet a four year old child who would soon become our son. Hours later we walked out of the orphanage not only with a new family member in our presence, but with a new title as well–special needs family.    At the time of adoption, our son had been diagnosed in Hong Kong with severe Autism and significant cognitive delay. We weren't entirely sure what to expect once we were home. We knew that outside of the orphanage he would be able to reach his full potential and that his diagnoses might change. As weeks turned into months, we realized that our son not only had significant special needs, but that he was deeply traumatized by his past four years of institutionalization. The first year home was a challenging time of growth and adjustment for us all. Now we are approaching the 1.5 year mark home and life seems to finally be reaching a new level of normal. Our son's diagnosis remains, but he has made remarkable progress.    The most frequent question we get from others is "why?" Why would we adopt an older, special needs child with very difficult behavior who will most likely need life-long care? The answer is not simple nor is it easy to explain. My husband and I always knew that we would grow our family through adoption instead of the...

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Special Needs
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Adopting the Special Needs Child

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Adopting the Special Needs Child

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