The adventurous life of Lucy Blue: June 2010

'Children who have been adopted are at increased risk for sensory problems, with those adopted from overseas orphanages at significantly higher risk. The conditions in these orphanages vary greatly, but all too often facilities have limited resources, poor nutrition, lack of sensory stimulation, and limited social interactions that can lead to developmental delays, medical problems, emotional difficulties, and yes-sensory issues. Many children placed in overseas orphanages may have been born prematurely or with low birth weight to begin with. So it's a double whammy to be predisposed to problems and then be placed in an institutional environment. What's more, the biological mother may have been malnourished and had limited or no access to prenatal care. So much-but certainly not all-depends on prenatal factors, birth, and environment.

Sensory problems make adjusting to a new family and a new culture even harder. Katie lived in a Chinese orphanage for eight months, where she had limited sensory experiences: a monotonous daily routine, and rarely being held, rocked, cuddled, feeling different clothing, being carried around in someone's arms or moving in a stroller or car, rarely being outdoors, being bottled propped, and looking at the same bare walls and toys month after month.

She certainly wasn't used to being hugged and smothered with kisses by her adoring new parents, getting bounced on someone's lap, being pushed around the park on a sunny day looking at animals at the petting zoo with the sound of a fire truck in the background and lots of people laughing and talking and brightly colored toys dangling from her stroller. Her brain and body never had that kind of exposure, and she hadn't yet built the neural connections for that kind of thing. '

Out of proportion reactions: over or undersensitivity to touch, sounds, sights,
movement, tastes, or smells

• Bothered by particular clothing fabrics, labels, waistbands, etc.
• Avoids or excessively craves intense movement — slides, swings, bouncing, jumping
• Gets dizzy easily-or never at all
• Seems clumsy or careless
• Often “tunes out” or “acts up”
• Poor attention and focus
• Uncomfortable in group settings
• Very high or very low pain threshold
* Easily distracted
* Social and/or emotional problems
* Activity level that is unusually high or unusually low
* Physical clumsiness or apparent carelessness
* Impulsive, lacking in self control
* Difficulty making transitions from one situation to another
* Inability to unwind or calm self
* Poor self concept
* Delays in speech, language, or motor skills

***It makes me sad to know that Lucy falls into this situation. She was not held or played with and hardly given any food to eat for 20 months of her little life. Add to that a painful surgery in China that probably left her in a hospital crib for days with no one to soothe her scared little self.

I guess I am angry today because of too many eye rolls from parents on a playground or people giving me advice on how to parent that have not had to deal with a child that with as many strikes against them as Lucy has. She can not be parented the same way as a child that has been loved and held and played with since being born. She is impulsive and busy and has some hard times with kids her own size. She is also funny and sweet and loves to sing and dance.

It also makes me sad that many family and friends have not taken the time to really get to know her. I am constantly disappointed at the lack of people that take time out of their schedule to just play with her or visit her. She gets so excited to see her family and friends and I feel sad that she has been neglected time and again.

Since I am her momma, the one person in this world that has promised to love her the most, I will make sure that she overcomes her harsh beginnings. It is not easy but we will get there, hopefully.