Clinic Follow Up Visit

If you haven't been following our adoption blog, you've probably noticed quite a long absence in posts.  We left February 16 to bring home a precious treasure, our second daughter, Emalyn, from China.  It has been an incredible journey so far, but we realize that it has only just begun.  Our family has been forever changed for the better!  If you'd like to catch up on our last two months, check out http://www.alongroadtomeetyou.blogspot.com/. 

Yesterday was Emalyn's follow up visit the International Adoption Clinic (IAC).  The IAC is a wealth of information and we always leave feeling so refreshed, encouraged and incredibly thankful to have such an amazing resource at our disposal.  We met with the counselor again and she was very pleased with Emalyn's progress and very encouraging.  She felt like Emalyn was continuing to attach and bond well and she was excited to see how much she has taken to Hank.  We also saw an Occupational Therapist.  It was wonderful to have her observe Emalyn and give us an idea of where she is developmentally and where she should be headed.  She said, as Hank and I also thought, that Emalyn is on the level of a 12-15 month old in most areas of development, but closer to a 24 month old in a few areas.  She said that she would expect her to be completely caught up by the time we return to the clinic for Emalyn's six month follow up visit.  She also gave us some ideas of how we can play with her and work with her to help maximize her progress.  At the end of the visit, we saw Dr. Kiser again.  She was pleased with the results of Emalyn's bloodwork and said that many of her vaccinations are actually good.  She did think her lead level was a little high (7), but not high enough that she needs treatment.  She said is would dwindle and go away on it's on over time.  (They usually treat children is they are over 15.)  Emalyn is also slightly anemic, but she wasn't alarmed by that either.  She recommended a vitamin with iron and said many times children go through phases of anemia with growth spurts.  It was a great visit and we are so thankful that our little angel is so healthy and was obviously well taken care of in her former home (moreso that we could have imagined).  Next, we will receive a report stating what vaccinations she will need (many that we give here are not given in China at all) and from there we will start seeing our general pediatrician, then we will return to the IAC for a six month follow up visit in August.