Orphaned children exhibit genetic changes that require nurturing parents
Submitted by Kerry on Tue, 2011-12-06 14:23.
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Children who experience the stress of separation at birth from biological parents and are brought up in orphanages undergo biological consequences such as changes in their genome functioning, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study.
December 5, 2011/ medicalxpress.com
Published online in the current issue of Development and Psychopathology, the study reports differences in DNA methylation, one of the main regulatory mechanisms of gene expression, or genome functioning. The investigators compared two cohorts: 14 children raised since birth in institutional care and 14 children raised by their biological parents.
Senior author Elena Grigorenko, associate professor at the Yale Child Study Center, and her colleagues took blood samples from children aged 7 to 10 living in orphanages and children growing up in typical families in the northwest region of the Russian Federation. They then profiled the genomes of all the children to identify which biological processes and pathways might be affected by deprivation of parental attention and care.
The team found that in the institutionalized group, there was a greater number of changes in the genetic regulation of the systems controlling immune response and inter-cellular interactions, including a number of important mechanisms in the development and function of the brain.
"Our study shows that the early stress of separation from a biological parent impacts long-term programming of genome function; this might explain why adopted children may be particularly vulnerable to harsh parenting in terms of their physical and mental health," said Grigorenko. "Parenting adopted children might require much more nurturing care to reverse these changes in genome regulation."
More information: Development and Psychopathology: doi:10.1017/S0954579411000605
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Why did they limit study to adoptees from orphanages?
Why couldn't they study children separated at birth and adopted soon after, limiting this to those living in orphanages? It leaves untouched the suffering of infants separated at birth but living in private houses with adoptive families.
Studies, infants, and adoption
Didn't you know? Most want to believe infant adoption reduces the suffering felt by a child who has been orphaned. Most also want to believe there is no such thing as a negligent/abusive adoptive home. So why study or question such firmly held beliefs?
<shaking head at the absurdity in Adoptionland>
It's almost 2012 and we are all to believe no harm comes to children separated at birth and put in a "loving" adoptive home.
Boy that makes me laugh.
I'd like to see that angle studied a bit more, as I have questions of my own....
For instance, if maltreatment at an early age can have enduring negative effects on a child’s brain development and function, then how many parents are getting the education they need to parent the child who has experienced severe trauma?
And, if studies prove maternal deprivation causes genetic differences that require more than an average parent's love, what measures are being taken to decrease or prevent the number of infants forced to lose their mothers?
Answers APs don't want to hear
Kerry, you raise some very good questions.
1. "Most also want to believe there is no such thing as a negligent/abusive adoptive home. So why study or question such firmly held beliefs?"
Just look at the PPL archives for murdered and abused adoptees, and countless others. If a study is done it will burst the AP bubble.
2. "...if maltreatment at an early age can have enduring negative effects on a child’s brain development and function, then how many parents are getting the education they need to parent the child who has experienced severe trauma?"
NONE. ZILCHO. There are NO post-adoption education courses required. A 3 hour workshop is not suffice either.
3. ".... if studies prove maternal deprivation causes genetic differences that require more than an average parent's love, what measures are being taken to decrease or prevent the number of infants forced to lose their mothers?"
Answer, none. As long as there are APs willing to pay to get a speedy process and an infant, there will no prevention. That is why when Guatemala closed, folks moved onto Ethiopia. Congo anyone?
And you know if the child does anything not up the APs liking, the child will be taken to a therapist and medicated. Same goes if the child is not working academically up to standards, there will be testing and IEPs issued. Just wondering how much of that is accurate in the long run and how many therapist take into consideration that the child was separated from their mother at birth.
Consequences of an adoption
A chill went through me when I read:
Back when I was a kid, no one considered "adoption" an act that would/could influence a child's sense of self or academic development.
But times have changed, and I see more and more, "adoption" is linked to "trauma" and "loss" far more than it was back in the 1960's and 70's.
Since the start of PPL, I have heard/read nightmare stories written by AP's telling me how their adopted children (from foreign countries) have been "labeled" by school-therapists. A bias exists. This bias turns-out NOT to be in a child's (or parent's) best-interest.
As an adoptee, I cannot imagine the negative consequences a foreign adoption may have, once the adoptee enters a school system. I can only imagine how these labels can make the adopted experience that much more difficult.
But once again, these are facets not studied, because such facets do not project the optimal glow most want to see.
Questions
Do agencies give workshops on this? (separation, trauma, loss, affects on education, etc).
Do agencies give workshops on post-adoption depression? How much of that is discussed in AP forums?..., especially when they stop ceasing being the rock stars of the neighborhood for adopting.
How does nurturing play a role in this? As opposed to sticking a newly adopted baby/toddler into a day care center 7am-6pm 5 days aweek only TWO weeks after adopting the child?
Some answers
That would have to be answered by APs. Some APs are very satisfied with their agencies in terms of prep-education, while others complain education provided through their agency is absent or very limited. My guess is: much of what a PAP receives depends upon the motives of the directors of the agency, itself.
As far as post-adoption depression goes, I don't know what is being taught/discussed by agency folken, but I do know it's been discussed on various forums, including PPL.
Good question. I think the article, The Abandoned Baby Syndrome provides good topic-points to consider, especially if one is an adoptive parent and that parent is expected to provide the extra nurturing an adopted child needs.
Not many adoptive parents
Not many adoptive parents are given solid, up-to-date information on the function of the environment shaping the brain. Neglect and trauma change the physical structure of the brain, placing less emphasis on higher order functions like being able to sit in a classroom and pay attention, and having a high level of impulse control. Instead, more energy is put into protective features like an increased state of arousal, which is more important for survival. This means the brain is always revving at a higher speed than that of children from more stable households - they are more easily distracted, not because they aren't focusing, but because they're focusing on too much. This may be why ADHD and learning disabilities are more common among children adopted from foster care. On the positive side, recognizing this is happening also means recognizing that it isn't the child's fault that he or she struggles. Additionally, the brain is much more plastic than was once thought. Although the usual structures may not be organized as usual, a supportive, consistent environment can help shape new connections - they may be different, and it's likely going to continue to be an issue, but they essentially meet the same needs. However, this type of work is in its infancy, and a huge amount more work needs to happen. From an academic perspective, it would have been most logical to choose children who grew up in a loving home and children from orphanages. When you're looking for differences, you look for contrasts, then see what you can apply to other groups. I didn't see it as a value judgement.
More needed
A lack of post-adoption services is a big common complaint from many APs, as if educating about the horse after the horse has left the barn is going to do much good for those left not knowing what to do. But that's "reform", as the industry would like to see it.... add more post adoption services to help the overwhelmed parents and kids. Gotta love the logic owned by those promoting America's adoption agency programs.
Nevertheless, it's good to see others are seeing just how critical pre-adoption education services are, as well. More on PAP classes, as discussed on PPL, can be found here: PAP classes
But here's the joke that affects both APs and the children they adopt.... proving how little the agency cares about the long-term picture for both adoptee and adoptive parent. Given the cost of a private foreign adoption - exceeding $30,000 in some cases, you'd think an effort to educate PAPs about neurobiology and the effects of stress, trauma, and inconsistent care on the brain of a developing child would be a priority.
Instead, far too many agencies are hosting classes where the PAPs waiting for the promised child are learning about the fluffs associated with scrap-booking, not the perils that come with parenting after profound loss and trauma.
Makes me wonder who's picking and choosing which topics are going to be covered in those required adoption-related classes so many PAPs have to take. I'm guessing when it comes to paying for a speaker/"educator" to come to a room full of PAPs, a craft lesson would cost much less than a class in anatomy and physiology. Crafts are more fun, too...
PAPs need to remember they are the consumer in this services-for-an-adoption scenario, It's the PAP who should demand much more from their chosen adoption agencies. Much more. More than the easy fluff that has nothing to do with the day-today facts of parenting.
I mean hell, it isn't as if hundreds of adoption agencies, with related services, don't already exist in America, alone. Remember, an agency, with all it's sweet honey milky promises, CAN be replaced.
APs, not PAPs
APs, not PAPs, need to drive this. PAPs are too naive and not aware of what is being said here. It is the APs that have the experience and the knowledge to drive this reform. Also PAPs are too scared to make any demands or suggestions to an agency. They fear they will not be referred a child or lose a referral. So that is why APs need to drive this. But sadly most APs forget all the issues of adoption after their case is finalized. Known as AP amnesia.
Ooops, I forgot
And all of this is in the best interest of the adoptable child, right? I shudder to think how many agency folk know about this fear had by PAPs.... and use that fear to their own advantage.
I still maintain there is no excuse to go mute.
With the availability of information about poor practice during the adoption process, I don't buy the excuse that PAPs are too "afraid" to demand more from their chosen agency. PAPs first job is to fight for what's best for children placed for adoption, not what's best or easiest for the adoption agency.
With that, I think PAPs SHOULD be afraid about many things related to an adoption plan. Very afraid. If they are not afraid, then they are not being properly prepared for parenting an adopted child... a child who may be coming from an orphanage/institution... a child who may have been illegally obtained, then sent to live in sub-standard care, so a PAPs dream of having a child can be satisfied.
PAPs ARE afraid
Kerry, several PAPs who have confronted their agency about the well being and health of their referral. The PAPs have been threatened by agencies, told that they will lose the referral, even told that the PAP needed to get psychological evaluations JUST because PAPs had not gotten updates on their referrals or when they visited the child the child was in deplorable conditions and some PAPs were asked (more like bilked) more and more money with cases that were corrupt or fraudulent, even when kidnapped kids were referred. PAPs notified the state of Florida and the state did NOTHING. Others states did not act as well. Check out your own files on Celebrate Children International and Sue Hedberg, RAI, Nina Keller, and on and on.
Needed: MORE state-side involvement
No surprise here:
Oh, but to do anything really effective would not be in the best interest of the adoption industry. Period.
And can't you hear it now? If adoption agencies close, what would happen to all the poor orphans collected for those wishing to proceed with an ICA plan? Why, they'd continue to languish in poor care, as they do right now. [Although I'd like to think the number of stolen babies, kidnappings and coerced cases would go down... but I'm an odd optimist.]
PAPs and APs must take the time to recognize their role in this madness. They must recognize what the demand for more (younger children and speedier adoptions) will do in regions where corrupt practice is part of the adoption plan. They simply can no longer have the luxury of keeping their blogging heads in the sand.
Furthermore, receiving governments, like the USA, need to step-up and do more than issue a harmless little slap on the wrists of those agency agents/directors and adoption lawyers who engage in questionable adoption plans. [Anyone remember what Galindo and The Banks received for their ICA efforts?]
If we end-up having fewer agencies operating -- providing much better, more thought-based and evidence-based services that truly benefit the legitimately adoptable "orphaned" child -- so be it. The long-term investment in nurturing and guiding, for the sake of the child, would be worth it, from both the parent's and child's POV.
Instead, what we have now is a mess, and the mess is only getting bigger as "desperate" PAPs move on to other countries like Ethiopia and Congo for their long-awaited child.
Bottom line: Adoptees need more than love and a little extra nurturing, they need adoptive parents properly educated and prepared to parent a child with many complex needs.
who's responsible
This again goes to show that adoption has nothing to do with finding families for children in need, but are in fact a scheme to pressure prospective adopters into paying insane amounts of money for highly dubious services.
Still, prospective adopters are not entirely victims in this. If it weren't for the demand of other people's children, there would exist no scheme to bilk the customers.
Anyone with a genuine interest in adoption can know the fact before running into the arms of the adoption industry. Unfortunately many choose to stay uninformed, afraid to learn their desires may result in shady practices.
Perfect example
I agree, PAPs are not entirely victims. These Irish PAPs that this thread is about is a perfect example of PAPs CHOOSING to stay uninformed. Any PAP who has not read about corruption in Guatemala, China or Vietnam is just plain stupid or has their head buried in the sand.
There have been PAPs who have experienced corruption and continued with another adoption, either in the same country or moved onto another country.
Teaching PAPs...
Do you really think an agency is going to educate potential prospective parent$$$ about how taking a child away from its mother/relinquishment/orphanage care.... affects the child's brain?