A potential adoptive parent waiting for a child to be proposed worries about the child's physical, mental, emotional and social health. Not all children have received the medical attention and care appropriate to their state of health in their country of origin. Some have had positive experiences with other children or a significant person in their environment, and some have received special attention at the orphanage or spent time in a foster family, while others have not had the care and attention needed, and they bear the consequences. Children adopted in a foreign country can readily recover from their health problems but may continue to have problems after they arrive in their new homes.

In matters of international adoption, it may be difficult to make a diagnosis or obtain a satisfactory report on the health and progress of the child in his or her country of origin. There are no standard medical tests or examinations, and practitioners may be more or less able to establish a complete and accurate diagnosis. Furthermore, the cultural notion of health, which varies from one country to another, can also play a role. The certified body and the SAI's international adoption consultant can provide information on sanitary conditions, the most common health problems encountered and the clinical examinations of the child in his or her country of origin.

Moreover, depending on whether the adoptive parent is applying for Canadian citizenship or permanent residence for the child or has to follow the immigration process, the obligation to have the child undergo, before leaving the country of origin, a medical examination by a physician designated by Citizenship and Immmigration Canada varies. In the case of an application for Canadian citizenship on behalf of the child, a medical examination is not required. However, it is recommended that the adoptive parent have the child undergo one even so. In the case of an application for permanent residence, a medical examination by a designated physician is required.

A child's arrival in his or her new home is celebrated with joy by close family and friends. Once the festivities marking the child's arrival are over, reality is sometimes less appealing than anticipated while awaiting the child. Why doesn't the child show unconditional love for his or her new parents? Why doesn't the child understand that his or her new dad and mom only want what's good for him or her? Why does the child have night terrors? 

The challenges of international adoption are many and some are easier to overcome than others. If most problems resolve themselves over time, others can be settled by consulting staff at certified bodies and people who have already adopted. Specialists in various fields (paediatricians, nurses, social workers, psychologists) can also help find solutions. For information or a referral to the appropriate resource, certified bodies, some of which provide advocacy services, adoptive parents' associations and self-help groups should be consulted without hesitation,

No certified body, country of origin or government authority can guarantee that a child is in perfect physical, psychological or mental health. Even if the health report prepared at the time of adoption seems good, certain problems may have gone undetected because of a lack of symptoms at the time of the medical examination abroad. It is also important to note that some pathologies are not apparent until adolescence or adulthood. In any case, it is best to feel free to ask for help and advice.

For more informations:

Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Health Network.

Canadian Pediataric Society

Institut national de santé publique