Hague Home Studies

Adoption Options is a fully Hague accredited adoption agency. Since the implementation of the Hague by the Department of State (DOS) on April 1, 2008, anyone who is adopting from a Hague convention country has had to undergo a different home study process.

While the general aspects of the home study has been the same, the approval by immigration is completely different and the approval time has temporarily increased.

As of November 17, 2008, the National Benefits Center of the USCIS has received a total of 1,419 I-800A cases. Of that, they have approved 245 cases, with 1,174 cases waiting for approval. The average processing time is 90 days, but they are hoping to cut down this processing time to 30 days once they get through the backlog of cases.

If you are adopting or thinking of adopting from Hague convention country, please be sure speak to us by phone so we can review all the things that you will need to do in order to get approved. Because this process is new, it has been a learning experience for all of us involved. So while it can be frustrating, we have had several families who have completed the new process and have been officially approved by immigration. Adoption Options will be able to get you through it!

Adoption Options' Thanksgiving Holiday Office Hours

In honor of Thanksgiving, our office will close early on Wednesday, November 26th, and will remain closed on Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 28th. We will resume our regular office hours on Monday, December 1st.

Adoption Options would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our families, current and past, for your continued support of our agency and the children we serve. We are happy to work with all of you to bring orphaned children home. We sincerely hope that you have a safe and tranquil Thanksgiving!

Reminder, Free Informational Seminar Tomorrow

Just a reminder that Adoption Options will be hosting a free informational seminar tomorrow, Thursday, November 20th, on international adoptions. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM and will be held at our office in San Diego. Any one interested in attending should call Natasha at 619-294-7772 to RSVP.

Tonight's Pre-travel Group is Cancelled

Please be advised that Adoption Options' Pre-Travel Group for this evening has been cancelled due to lack of RSVPs. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause any of you.

There will be no Pre-Travel Group in December. We will resume with this group starting in January 2009. Please review our Events' section on our website for information about upcoming meetings and events. We look forward to seeing you at our next event soon!

http://www.adoption-options.org/events.htm

No Internet or fax!!!

Please be aware that AO does not currently have internet or fax due to a down power line in our area. We are attempting to work with our service provider to get this corrected, but as of today, Tuesday, November 18th, we are not back online. We are available by phone. We are very sorry for this inconvenience and hope to be back online as soon as possible.

Adopting from Kazakhstan

We are thrilled to announce that we will now be accepting new clients and dossiers for this adoption program. The Kazakhstan embassy is now accepting dossiers, and we would like to send any interested and qualified families as soon as possible.

For details about this program please contact our office at (619) 294-7772 and asked to speak to Joyce Thompson, LCSW, Kazakhstan Program Coordinator. You may also reach her by email at joyce@adoption-options.org.

Adoption Options' Pre-Travel Seminar

Attention all Adoption Options' Placement Families!

We will be offering a free, Pre-Travel Seminar, to any of our placement families. We will have one family who has recently adopted 3 children from Russia come and speak about the adoption process and travel experience. Any family who is adopting from our Russian, Kazakhstan, or Kyrgyzstan programs are welcome to attend and learn key tips from a fellow adoptive parent.

Date and Time: Wednesday, October 19, 2008 at 6:30 PM

Location: Adoption Options' Office

411 Camino del Rio, South

Suite 200

San Diego, CA 92108

Please RSVP to Natasha at (619) 294-7772 or by email at natasha@adoption-options.org by Tuesday, November 18th.

Sensory Integration

On Wednesday, November 12 we had the opportunity for the fourth time to have Leah Taylor, an occupational therapist and adoptive parent, speak at the Adoption Options’ monthly parent support group. She educated the group members about Sensory Integration and Sensory Integration Dysfunction. She also discussed signs of sensory difficulties, sensory integration and international adoption, activities you can do at home with your child to help with sensory integration, and when you might want to get your child assessed for occupational therapy.

What is Sensory Integration?
Sensory integration describes our ability to take in information through senses (touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing), sort that information based on previous knowledge and then make a meaningful or adaptive response.

What is Sensory Integration Dysfunction?
Sensory Integration dysfunction occurs when a child is not able to access or integrate these sensory experiences to achieve this “adaptive response”. The information is perceived by the individual as too much, not enough or disorganized. Sensory Integration problems, unless severe, are often subtle and easily mistaken for behaviors or explained as personality traits. Understanding a child’s sensory needs ultimately supports them in reaching their own greatest potential.

What makes children, post- orphanage at higher risk?
Sensory Deprivation
Poor Nutrition
Poor prenatal care
Premature birth
Limited opportunity for exploration
Minimal Opportunity for natural movement
Extended period in seated equipment (swing, excer- saucer)
Limited handling, caregiver contact

There is a positive outcome: Children who have experienced sensory deprivation tend to be highly responsive to sensory integration therapy.

What you can do:
*It’s a good idea to get a baseline Occupational Therapy (OT) assessment for all children who were institutionalized for longer than 6 months.
*Ask your MD for a referral for an OT evaluation (your child will need a prescription) or Request a “FREE screen for OT”
*Try some things at home.
*Work on creating a Sensory Diet (with the guidance of an OT)
*Keep a journal, look for trends and celebrate your family’s achievements
*PLAY, a lot- and then some more!

Things you can do at home:

Oral:
Drink from a straw
Sing
Eat crunchy or Chewy snacks
Chew gum
Blow whistles
Take a deep breath
Blow bubbles

Tactile:
Play-doh
Paint
Infant massage
Gently wrestle
Play gentle “contact” games (twister, make up your own)
Find many opportunities to invite your child to snuggle
Dig in the dirt
Sandbox
Walk or run in the grass or on the beach
Splash in waves
Carry your baby close to you (on your back, in a sling)
Hold hands
Explore nature: leaves, safe bugs, jump in puddles
Use a washcloth in the tub
Water table play

Movement:
Swing
Slides
Play upside down games
Sit and spins
Jump
Wiggle
Dance (don’t forget your instruments)
Roll like a log
Roll up in a blanket (or yoga mat) like a hotdog
Run, spin, and roll

Heavy work:
Sit with a heavy blanket on their lap-Sleepy Pete lamb (from Leaps and Bounds)
Wear a small backpack with “treasures” inside
Eat crunchy or chewy snacks
Drink through a straw

Help with chores: push laundry basket, unload non-glass groceries
Garden together
Jump with two feet landing solidly on the ground
Pull a wagon
Ride a trike
Climb a “mountain”
Wrap in a yoga mat- make a burrito ( wrap below the shoulders only)
Build a sandwich out of couch pillows
Wear a tight knit cap

For a study on Sensory Integration and International Adoption:
The Research: Sharon Cermak, Ed.D., OTR/L, published “The Relation Between Length of Institutionalization and Sensory Integration in Children Adopted from Eastern Europe” in The American Journal of Occupational Therapy May/March 2005, Volume 59, Number 2. (Susan H. Lin, Sharon Cermak, Wendy J. Coster, Laurie Miller.)

Free Informational Meeting on Adoptions

Interested in learning about international adoptions? Please join us for a FREE, informational meeting that will cover all aspects of adoptions, but will focus mainly on International Adoption. Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in our

NEW San Diego Office, located at:
411 Camino del Rio South
Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92108
Please RSVP to Natasha Oberg by calling her at (619) 294-7772 or by emailing her at natasha@adoption-options.org.

Upcoming Holiday Closure

Please be advised that our office will be closed on Tuesday, November 11th, in observance of the Veterans' Day Holiday. We will have our normal office hours, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 8 am to 1 pm on Friday. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

Adoption Options and Home Study Services

This is a reminder that Adoption Options is licensed to conduct home studies in the following counties of California: San Diego, Imperial, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. If you are a resident of any of these counties and need an international home study, please contact our office at 619-294-7772 and speak to Joyce Thompson, LCSW for more information.

Baby Mine-The Story of Isabella

Please see this touching video made by Krygyzstan adoptive mother, Melanie, about her daughter's adoption.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=70b942e11c2b536ffef28c&skin_id=1604&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url