What do you RAD folks think about this ?

Brandon is a handsome 4 year old boy with blonde hair and dark blue eyes.  He was born prematurely but at a normal birth weight so there may have been some miscalculation on the birth mother’s part.  He required assistance for apnea issues and stayed in the hospital for about 2 months.  He went from the hospital to a foster home for medical fragile babies where he joined his bio half brother.  The boys stayed together but were moved a number of times before they went to their adoptive home at ages 2 and 4.  

    Brandon was significantly speech delayed at that time.  He has since become quite a communicator but still requires weekly speech therapy.  After their placement, we (adoptive parents) began to realize there were more significant issues beyond just the developmental delays described in the informed consent papers.  Both boys have since been diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder.  We began attachment therapy almost 2 years ago.  Brandon has not responded well to treatment while in our home.  The boys share a trauma bond due to the emotional neglect of their early lives.  Brandon is continually triggered into negative behavior patterns while with his bio brother.  We want Brandon to have the best chance to heal so we have come to the painful decision that he needs to be separated from his brother.

                Brandon is a beautiful boy.  He enjoyed a preschool gymnastics class this past spring and we think he will love t-ball once he is old enough.  He attends a day care with typical peers but does have some behavior challenges in this setting; however, he continues to be a part of the regular program.  He receives speech therapy and early intervention services through the local school system once a week and has an IEP.  Brandon made great academic strides during the last school year and should be ready for kindergarten next fall, hopefully in a regular classroom with very little special ed support. 

             Brandon enjoys attending activities with his older siblings but he can be difficult to control in spectator situations.  He loves the sand at the beach and swimming in our family pool.  Brandon is a healthy eater but has begun to be a bit more selective in his food choices.  His portions need to be controlled or he will over eat.  He is potty trained, even through the night and almost never has any accidents.  Brandon has exhibited a great deal of anger toward “mom” and he will require continued attachment therapy to bond with a new family.  His therapist and we are hopeful that he will be able to attach more easily without the trauma trigger of his bio brother.  We love Brandon and it has been painful to realize that we were not the forever family he needed but just one step along his way.