Not too long ago I was approached to write an article about the condition of Carrington and what the lack of nutrition did to her. Carrington is diagnosed with Down syndrome but that is not the reason she came home weighing under 11 pounds and measuring the size of a 6 month old. No, the plain and simple truth is Carrington was robbed of the nutrition her mind and body needed to grow and develop. In America we have so many programs in place to help ensure that babies and children receive the necessary nutrition they need in order to grow. That is not the case for orphans in Eastern Europe. Quite often these little ones, and even big ones, are lucky to even receive one meal for the day and it certainly is not based upon any major food group. This is having a devastating effect on the children who live in orphanages and mental institutions. One of the effects of malnutrition on Carrington, other than her stunted growth, is that her brain had shrunk. Once again this is not because of Down syndrome but rather the purposeful nutritional neglect on the part of her caregivers. I am not saying that all caregivers are neglectful but Carrington's were as was the director of her orphanage.
Quite often when families who have adopted orphans with special needs come home we encounter many feeding and nutritional issues. Carrington had a gbutton placed in her as well as underwent a fundiplication to help resolve her extreme reflux. We turn to each other for advice and support as to how we can best help our children. Our natural response is to want to feed our little ones as much as possible as soon as we break them out of the prison that has robbed them of the very basic of needs:food. While the intention to feed our children is honest and sincere it can actually end up causing great harm and even death. This is known as "refeeding syndrome".
Quite often when families who have adopted orphans with special needs come home we encounter many feeding and nutritional issues. Carrington had a gbutton placed in her as well as underwent a fundiplication to help resolve her extreme reflux. We turn to each other for advice and support as to how we can best help our children. Our natural response is to want to feed our little ones as much as possible as soon as we break them out of the prison that has robbed them of the very basic of needs:food. While the intention to feed our children is honest and sincere it can actually end up causing great harm and even death. This is known as "refeeding syndrome".
Refeeding syndrome is a syndrome consisting of metabolic disturbances that occur as a result of reinstitution of nutrition to patients who are starved or severely malnourished.
Carrington's doctors took extreme caution when it came to giving her the nutrition her body had been deprived of for so long. These doctors as well as other organizations are working hard to try and not only eradicate malnutrition in children but educate and offer support to those families whose children have been affected by this. One such organization is Adoption Nutrition. This organization is nutrition and feeding resource for adoptive and foster families. They are partnered with the SPOON Foundation and Joint Council International Children's Services.
The mission of SPOON Foundation is to improve the nutrition of orphaned, fostered, and adopted children so they can grow and thrive.
This month they have chosen to highlight Carrington's story in their nutrition profile. This was very special to us as we have learned a great deal of information through their organization which has helped us with Carrington's recovery. Right now our family is in process with some very special friends we have met via our adoption journey of our boys to try and help not only resolve the nutrition crisis of the children but also to educate those who may not truly understand just how much these precious children need proper nutrition. I hope to have more on that in the next weeks and months to come but meanwhile please go take a look at their website and if you know of anyone who struggles with nutritional issues with their child please pass on the link to them.
4 comments:
I saw Carrington on video when a news story was done about your famuly. She is even more adorable in motion than in the still pictures. I LOVE her laugh. She has an amazing personality for a little girl who has been through so much. I hope a day comes when every child has a loving family and there are no unwanted children born or unborn.
So glad to see this! When we brought our Katya home she came home severely nutritionally deprived. Her brain has taken a rapid growth spurt--beyond what the Drs thought it would do--as she has gotten good nutrition. She was covered with the "starvation hair" all over her little body . . . almost 6 months later that is about completely gone. Her hair was thin and whispy and fragile--like a new born baby almost. Now it's long and feels and looks so much stronger and healthier! Thanks to knowing about Carrington's situation and doing some reading ahead of time about re-feeding we were slow and careful in our approach to feeding Katya and were totally able to avoid hospitalization. I don't know if we would have had we not known to be cautious and slow and only gradually introduce new foods and in slowly increasing quantities.
What a wonderful article!!! Heartbreaking--as I did not know all of those details, but very good nonetheless. Her story really is amazing.
LOVE ya Shelly!!!
Smiling at your post...God is so good! Merry Christmas from all of us!
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