Adoption & Medical History
Many people encounter a medical issue at some point that requires them to discuss with a physician any risk factors due to their medical and family histories. Adoptees often do not have this option, as most of their records are inaccessible to them. Gaining access to your medical history can help in managing and preventing some medical conditions.
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Initial Information
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According to the Adoption Guide, adoptive parents will receive some medical information on their new child. If it is a domestic adoption, they will receive documentation about prenatal care and the birth parents' medical history up to that time, and if they adopt an older child, they may receive notes on the child's developmental progress.
Doctors
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According to genetichealth.com, adoptees or the parents of an adopted child should tell physicians they have limited information because of adoption. It's to the adoptees' benefit to locate even part of their adoption records and medical history, because a doctor may be able to run genetic testing, based on their genetic history, to see if they are at risk for certain cancers or other conditions.
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Risk Factors
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With a newly adopted baby, parents should pay attention to the baby's head size, as a small head could mean Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Parents should also watch for significant developmental delays in walking or speech, which could signal other issues.
Information to Collect
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Baby Center suggests trying to collect information on your child's birth, including how much pre-natal care the birthmother received and if she was screened for conditions like PKU. You should find out how many foster homes your child lived in and whether there was ever any suspicion of abuse or neglect.
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