| p>The recent headlines of children found locked in | | | | biological parents. Their misbehaviors are really |
| cages at their home in Wakeman, Ohio by adoptive | | | | survival tactics to protect themselves from getting |
| parents, and the 4-year-old girl in Utah killed by her | | | | close to their caretaker and possibly suffering more |
| adoptive parents is shocking. But those of us parents | | | | abuse. Oftentimes they target the adoptive mother, |
| who have lived with children diagnosed with Reactive | | | | because their own mother hurt them. |
| Attachment Disorder (RAD), like the victimized | | | | It's important that we adopt children quickly to |
| children in the headlines, are not surprised by the | | | | prevent them from lingering in the system and |
| parents extreme frustration and hopelessness--- | | | | developing extreme cases of RAD which left |
| although their abuse cannot be forgiven. | | | | untreated, can develop into anti social behaviors that |
| RAD is a condition that keeps children detached and | | | | drive some caretakers to abuse. It's just as |
| constantly struggling for control over their caretakers | | | | important that parents are trained how to handle |
| because they do not trust. Parents go insane trying | | | | these children before their adoption, as well as how |
| to raise these children who lack values, morality, as | | | | to take care of themselves during these stressful |
| well as demonstrate aggressive, disruptive and | | | | times. |
| antisocial behaviors. | | | | Mindfulness, how to live in the moment, helped me |
| It's extremely difficult for adoptive parents to find | | | | through the most difficult periods when my adoptive |
| help for RAD children. Traditional therapy does not | | | | son was tearing our family apart. But my husband |
| work for a child who has this condition because | | | | and I had to go to 21 different therapists before |
| therapy is built on trust. RAD children do not trust. | | | | finally finding help for our son. There is hope, but us |
| Many have been abandoned, and hurt by their | | | | adoptive parents need support. |