Private Adoption Agencies

If you are considering adoption via an agency, this article will empower you and educate you about the private adoption agencies.

There are two types of agencies those deal with adoption- Private and public. Private agencies are privately operated businesses. They are licensed by the state in which they operate to conduct adoptive parents home
studies and/or place children for adoption. They are principally supported by the fees they receive from adoptive parents. On the other hand public adoption agencies are operated by country or the state in which they are located and are supported by tax dollars. The main function of public agencies is to find homes for children for whom the country or state has assumed responsibility.
Private and public adoption agencies vary dramatically in what they do as well as when and how they do it. These agencies offer counseling, referrals, and both pre- and post-adoption education.

Private adoption agencies

Private adoption agencies have widely different policies and services. In fact, some agencies will differ from another agencies so much the entire nature of adoption will seem different. This is true for agencies located in same city and operating under same state's law as well, as there is much room for flexibility in how adoptions are arranged. The services of one particular agency which are ideal for one couple may not meet the needs and desires of another.

The advantages

There are many advantages of taking help of adoption agencies. These agencies do all of the searching work for the adoptive parents. They will find a child for the adoptive parents suiting to the specified criteria.

Keep in mind
You should make an initial inquiry of any agency to determine exactly what it is licensed to do. For example some agencies are only licensed to do home studies for adoptive parents hoping to adopt. They are not licensed
to place child for adoption, meaning that the adoptive parents must look to another agency for actual placement of the child. Some other agency may be licensed as full adoption agencies. Keep in mind to beware of the agencies which requires payment of fees immediately after application. Do not deal with any agency that feels or has been reported to be disreputable.
Fee and cost

Like other businesses, private adoption agencies offer services for a fee and must make enough profit to remain in operation. Most agencies are non-profit and may be receiving financial aid from charitable trusts. Fee can vary tremendously among private agencies. Depending upon the type of agency, the services being offered, fee may range from $500 to $25,000. The average fee falls between $2,000 to $9,000. The fee usually covers the adoptive parents preplacement home study, adoption education and counseling for adoptive and birth parents and post-placement evaluation of the adopted child's progress in adoptive home.

You should try to establish a beneficial relationship with your agency. Surprisingly, many caseworkers complain that many of the agency's waiting families fail to show their sincerity and readiness to adopt by such simple acts. Remember an agency's goal is to find the homes for the children they place.
Source:http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/435434/savneet_singh.html

What you as a Parent Can Do for a AUTISTIC CHILD

Hearing a diagnosis of Autism for their child can be very upsetting to parents. The guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics confirm that diagnosing a child’s autism and getting appropriate therapy early is easier on the child. Parents, family members, primary caregivers, pediatricians and other health care providers have intimate knowledge of a child’s development and can identify the first signs of emerging problems during the child’s development.
Earlier the identification is better for diagnosis. Parents can play a great role in initiating the process of helping their child learn to relate, communicate and think while the professional are screening and performing comprehensive evaluations. The start of educational and therapeutic programs may take some time. In the meantime, parents can take initial steps. Children benefit most by getting help in an early stages when their nervous system is growing most rapidly. Early diagnosis and treatment for autism can prove to be very effective in avoiding developmental delays.
Know Autism
The best way to help your newly diagnosed child is to know as much as you can about your child and the differences or problems he is having. The more you know, the more you can do to help your child. There is plenty of information available in books, web sites, articles, and professionals who offer support and information. But you have to be picky, because not all of this information may be useful or correct. You really have to work hard to find advice or a treatment that is really useful and works for your child. Get input from other parents. Review success and failure stories.
Help Educators and Professionals Understand Your Child
Try your best to tell whatever you know or you have observed about your child to the professionals. Parents know their children best. As a parent, you are the best source for professionals for gathering information about your child. You are aware of what sets your child off and what comforts him or her. This information will help educators and professionals to spend their time with your child in a more productive way.
Limit Expectations
As parents you might have some expectations with your child but you have to accept the fact that your child may not become the computer software professional or doctor that you hoped she would. She may not be on par with other children in developmental milestones and appropriate behaviors. You have to focus on smaller and reachable goals. The main concentration should be on helping your child reach her unique
potential.

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How to substitute Gluten and Casein in Autistic Child’s Diet

We are much more than what we eat. Often diet and nutrition is overlooked or dismissed. But it is a human fact that many of the symptoms present in autism are directly related to nutritional deficiencies, disturbances in nutritional imbalance, poor diet and negative effect of the specific food. Children with Autism respond very well to change in the diet and nutrition. If you choose carefully the food you give to an autistic child, it will help in optimizing brain and body functions. The child will respond to the all other treatments provided and give best possible outcomes. Diet and nutrition are critical components of overall treatment plan because they address underlying problems.
An autistic child can benefit from a gluten- and casein-free diet. Gluten and casein are the main offenders. Soy and corn can also be bothersome for some children. Casein, a protein, is mainly found in milk and other dairy product like yogurt, ice-cream. This is also present in baked goods and fish like tuna. Gluten, another protein, is found in wheat and other grains. The food containing Gluten, casein and soy are not properly digested. When they reach the intestinal tract, they form undigested amino acids chains called peptides and then further processed into basic amino acids. Some evidence suggests that in autistic, this process does not occur fully. The resulting peptides, which fail to break down completely, may have an effect on the body similar to that of morphine or other opiates. The peptides are absorbed into the blood-stream and they cross the blood brain barrier and negatively effect mood, mental and neurological functions and behaviors. There is another problem associated with the food containing Gluten and casein. Children may develop addiction to the food sources containing gluten and casein. Children crave to food which are actually harmful for them and begin to limit their food to gluten, casein and soy containing food only. This results in significant withdrawal symptoms when these foods are eliminated from their food. For this reason experts on autism recommend that people suffering from autism should avoid gluten and casein in their diets.
So, what to do?
You can use a number of substitutes for gluten and casein while preparing food for your child. These are easily available in the market.
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