Report: Cradle Of Hope Adoption Center In MD

We used Cradle of Hope Adoption Center after disrupting a previous adoption from Russia due to the child being a special needs child with FAS (which we clearly told them about and stated we did not want a special needs child). In May 2001, we got a call from the agency in which they stated we found a healthy little boy for you in Moscow. Had medical information reviewed and had another MD in Russia visit the orphanage to see the child. In their opinions, the child was a very low risk adoption - no FAS, no microcephaly, no special needs - and was developmentally on target.

The first medical we recieved on the child was done by Dr. Svetlana Shvetsova. This doctor works as a representative to COH (which we do proof according to Dr. Eric Downing). In this medical, the doctor changed birth measurements and history. Only diagnosis perinatal encephalopthy of hypoxic genesis (which is a very common diagnosis in Russia). Developmental prognosis is positive with the soonest placement into the family.

We finally go to Russia in October 2001 to see the child. He is 14 months old and very malnourished (truthfully, from May until we finally brought to the USA in November this child did not gain any weight). Asked the orphanage doctor questions and based on her medical I am sure the translator, Natalie Arkhangelskaya, did not translate correctly (the translator was also a representative for COH).

In court, the orphanage doctor stated that the child did have perinatal encephalopathy in the form of syndrome of delay of psychomotor and pre-speech development which is very unusual(in lay man terms, the child had brain damage at birth that is causing cognitive, motor and speech problems) and that we were aware of this (no). Again, the translator did not say this the only thing said was he does have some developmental delays which are typical of an orphan child. These court document was translated to English while we were in Russia but, was given to INS and not to us until we arrived in the USA.

We bring the child home in mid-November 2001 (had to wait two weeks for the adoption to be finalized). The child is having lots problem which I will not go into. I remember the orphanage doctor, E Molokova, gave us another medical report which I have Dr. Anders translate for me. Stupid me - I am only looking for the problems that we are encountering and not that information was changed about the child's birth history.

Finally, everything comes to the point that what is going on with this child? He is not walking, not speaking, not feeding himself etc.. Take him to Early Intervention Services at 19 months old he is operating at a 10-12 month old level - he should not be that far behind. Again, nobody is addressing our concerns - it is a orphanage/Russian problem.

July, comes around he is 23 months old. He know looks like he has FAS but, that diagnosis will not come until December. We take him to one specialist after another due to all his problems. Finally, we fire his pediatrician and hire a new one. He agrees with me something is not right - he should of already caught up. This doctor is the only one that noticed that the two medicals sounded like two different children. Birth measurements where changed along with the history. The child's head circumference was not in the 60th percentile it was below the 10th percentile. Again, that is where the perinatal encephalopathy diagnosis comes into play and that the child's condition was moderately severe during the early neonatal period due to neurological symptoms and was transferred from the maternity hospital to a children's hospital to the Baby Home. While he has been in the Baby Home child has been developing with a psychomotor and speech delay. This is all in the report from the chief doctor at the Baby Home, E. Molokova.

December 2002, we get the worse news ever the child does have FAS with static encephalopathy plus quite few more diagnoses all related to fetal alcohol. The child is mild to moderate mentally retarded.

Go back to COH and Linda Perilstein and she will deny everything. Dr. Shvetsova does not work for her. She needs to know which people did not give us the right information. I know she is not telling the truth - she has done this to other families but, no one can touch her. She does have a great lawyer standing behind her.

Beware of this agency. There is families that have no problems but, there is also others that do. Our healthy, normal child that we adopted is not healthy and will never be normal. He may be a baby for the rest of his life

Kim

Millersville, Maryland

U.S.A.