word cards for communication with verbal children

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-obhHD6VxLWYjNwZkt3czByV0U/edit

This is the link to the word cards that we used in ET to communicate with our sons. They have a picture on them and the English words. I suggest laminating them and then when you get there ask for the phrase or word in your child's native language. It gives you a way to communicate. I put these on a lanyard and wore them to use when communicating important things like: use the bathroom, go to sleep, are you hungry, what do you want, give a hug, etc.
This was really helpful and I would suggest some sort of communication tool for those adopting children over 18 months. This worked with 3 year olds.

Our most important words:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-obhHD6VxLWOFlJMHlPMWNqVnM/edit

Words and phrases:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-obhHD6VxLWcnZmMnNGNHBJbDA/edit

IMPORTANT travel informaion. No Skype use or is it accurate?

This news just out all over the internet. Ethiopia has apparently banned the use of Skype and other voice communication via the Internet. In fact it is a crime and punishable. You will want to take this into account when you are planning your travel.

"The country’s government recently ushered in new legislation that criminalises the use of services such as Skype, Google Talk and other forms of Internet phone calling.
The new law, which came into effect on 24 May, makes use of Internet voice services punishable by hefty fines and up to 15 years in prison."

Read the whole report, here are the articles:
http://ethioandinet.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/ethiopia-criminalises-skype/
http://www.techcentral.co.za/ethiopia-criminalises-skype/32723/

The BBC on this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18461292

Despite all the news channels proclaiming that this is real......
Another blog claims that they have investigated this and found it to be exaggerated and not as wide sweeping as believed. I don't know if this is accurate, but it is worth a read. It sounded plausable to me. Check out the news on this Ethiopia blog.  http://danielberhane.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/official-skype-and-similar-activities-are-not-banned-in-ethiopia/
Apparently the final word is not out yet, but you may be able to use Skype after all! Maybe...............

You would be wise to check with your agency and follow their guidelines irregardless. Just to be safe. 

travel advisories

For your information and to help you plan your trip to Ethiopia. Here is the Brittish travel advice page which has great info on it for Ethiopia.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/sub-saharan-africa/ethiopia

Here is the link to the current info from the US government.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1113.html

Have safe and fun trip!

USCIS post Bringing your adopted child into the US

Teleconference USCIS guide on Bringing your adopted child into the United States. This would be a good read for information. Anyone who is expecting to bring their children home in the next several months should read this.

Drivers in Ethiopia

I am going to post a list of drivers who other families have used and would recommend. I can only personally recommend the first one on the list, as he was our driver. Please know these have come highly recommended, however, you should use your own caution as well. My understanding is that all of them speak English well and will know the city for any need you may have. Some drive outside of the city as well. All of the have been recommended by ADOPTIVE families so that should not be an issue. They will know where to go for things related to adoption if that is needed.

Terefe Konde: 091-121-05-17 or at 011-122-26-22.
Here is the driver we liked best. He speaks English well and will take you wherever you want to go. He has driven almost exclusively for adoptive families for the last 14 years. Take him a bumper sticker of your state, He puts them all over the inside of his car and tells his clients about them. He took us shopping, for a tour of the city and all around to wherever we wanted to go. He knows every place and the best way to get there. He even translated all the jabbering of our boys. That was priceless. While we were there the going rate was 50 birr an hour. Pay him whatever is the going rate, rounded up and give him tips every time. Not at all expected but SOOOO appreciated. He is a great guy. Take his number with you and when you want to go out give him an advance call to reserve him as your driver. He will be happy to drive you.

Fekadu : His phone number is 0911117728 or you can email him at hailufekadu@ yahoo.com or lyfeke00@gmail. com.

Solomon: He owns a car.  He loves working with adoptive families. His number is: 0911-56-73-63.

Ayele: phone # was 0911-48 69 00.

Haile: His number is 0911 602 569 .

Tsegaw : he has started his own travel/tour agency and will drive for individuals or groups.  Here's his website with contact info:   http://www.zoz- ethiopia. com/


 Yoseph: 0911-91-89-36

Alazar. His number is 0911622676.

Process in Ethiopia for court and embassy, etc.

This was posted on a parent group and came from an adoption agency. It is great information on how court works and the process you can expect in general on the Ethiopia side. It is very much like what I know to be true and so I have decided to post it here for the masses of waiting parents to peruse to their own encouragement and edification. :) I have added the first section for further clarification.

Your dossier is sent to Ethiopia
The staff working with your agency will translate your dossier into Amharic. Your paperwork will wait to be attatched to the dossier of the child you are referred. Once referral is made the dossier of the child is attached to yours and it then goes on for the rest of this process.

Obtaining a Court Date
After a family receives a referral, it could be approximately one month or longer before your documents are filed for a court date. Keep in mind that no officials have received or reviewed your dossier in Ethiopia until you have accepted a referral. After you have officially accepted your referral is when dossiers are processed in order to obtain a court date and approval from the Ministry of Woman's Affairs (MOWA) and the Ethiopia Federal Court. After the required dossier documents are submitted for a court date, it could take another month to receive that date. Once the date it given, the actual court date is approximately 2 months later. These timelines are not set in stone and can be longer or slightly shorter, but this is a general/approximate estimate of the timelines, and what we are seen in several cases.

The judge in the Ethiopia Federal Court assigns court dates and dates are given based on her schedule; keep in mind also that other agencies families are waiting on court dates as well, and there could be upwards of 70 families waiting for a court date on any given day. Typically the time frame from referral acceptance to travel for the 1st trip is 3-4 months. Each adoption case is individual and can look very different in regard to time lines, therefore you cannot solely rely on what another family's time frame has been. It's a good base to use, but not as an absolute guideline to how your process and time lines will go. There are many things that are out of the control of our Ethiopia in country staff and is completely in the control of the federal court or other entities processing various steps for the adoption once your dossier is submitted. The key here is to remain flexible and to know that it is the process.

Waiting for Visa Interview Date
Once your adoption has been approved in the court, there are many things that have to take place before you can be issued a visa interview date.

The adoption decree has to be created. Again, one judge writes all of the adoption decrees. This could take 1 day or 7 days – depending on the judges schedule.

The child's birth certificate has to be created. This could take 3 days, or sometimes more
The child's passport has to be created. Could take up to 7 days for this to be completed

Child has to go for a visa medical, and children 2 years old and over are given a TB skin test at the visa medical.
If it's determined that the child tests positive for TB, the child will have to return for a chest x-ray. If active TB is found, the child will have to remain in country for a extended period of time for more testing and treatment.

All of the documents obtained after the court approval must be submitted to the US Embassy 2 weeks before a visa interview can be held.

After documents are submitted to the US Embassy, a review is done on the child's documents and the parents I-171H cable and home study and the officials decide if any further investigations are needed into the background information of the child. If so, this could delay confirming a visa interview date as the embassy officials will have to go out into the region of where the child was relinquished or abandoned to conduct such an investigation and it could take, a couple of days, a couple of weeks or even months.

Tentative visa interview travel dates that families receive after court approval are not confirmed by until the US Embassy has let us know that everything is complete on the family and child. That is generally approx. 1 ½ weeks prior to travel, if everything goes like clockwork.

Ethiopian Guest House and what they do to help Ethiopia

I recently saw this video about the Ethiopia Guest House and what they do to give back to Ethiopia. If we were going back.......... and we hope to visit again one day, this would be a great place to stay. This is a place worth checking out. See the video at the top video section of the blog. See their web page here. Ethiopian Guest Home.

comfort items for your carry on bag, international flight packing list

I just returned from Australia. This is my fourth LONG flight trip in my life and I just can not seem to get it together for the comfort items needed for such a long flight. I have now created a list. So, thought I would share since many of you are about to take a long flight. :)

For more on packing lists and things for kids see the packing list post here.

But, now here is a list for comfort items.

• Empty water bottle, they will fill for you and it is really nice to get a sip whenever you want it. Kids too.
• whisp tooth brushes, these are those little one time use things you can put in your purse or lunch box. make sure everyone has one for there and home again. Invaluable.
• mini travel deodorant *
• body or facial wipes (baby wipes do the same for face, body and personal use)
• mini purell **
• mini lotion **
• mini tissues
• extra pair of underwear for there and home again
• comb or the fold up one with a mirror
• chap stick *
• breath mints or gum -sugar free-, also good for take off and landing
• energy bars for those in between flights with no snacks and the airport delays and lay overs and when the meal time is just off with your body schedule and you just can not wait. DO NOT take nuts, many countries do not allow the transfer of "seeds" and nuts falls into that category.
• pencil and paper for those little notes you just might forget
• u shaped neck pillow or something like that.
• carabeaners (metal clip) to clip pillow to bag during transfers
• your own ear buds the ones on the plane are not great. 
• that flimsy cardboard/foam nail file (no clippers or mini pocket knives)

Of course if you have got a baby, toddler or preschooler you will also want:
wipes, bottle, diaper, extra outfit x2. toys and activities are recommended on my regular list. :)

The items with a ** need to be put in a quart sized zip lock bag and scanned through security separately.  I have not had any problem with any of these. The  items with * are not a required item to be packed separately, but one security person did suggest that I include them in the bag, just in case..... whatever, not hard to do.

Ok anyone else want to add?

Flash cards and communication

Communicating with your non English speaking child can be frustrating. We used a list of handy phrases in Amharic. See list here.
We also used home made picture cards to show the action or need. We included: drink, eat, potty, sleep, dress, play, sick, happy, sad, hug, etc..... we did not use them as much as we used the Amharic phrases. First we used them together, but as we learned the phrases better we did not need the cards. We wrote the Amharic phrase on the cards so that we could say it. Some families have found the cards to be really helpful. You can make them yourself with clip art or you can buy some or download them on this site.
http://www.eslflashcards.com/

I would mention that so called universal signs and signals still need to be learned and so some cards will not be self apparent. Some will, a picture of a child drinking is self apparent. But, a picture of a toilet may not be right away. Huh???? Well, most places the toilet is a pit in the ground. :) Does not look like our toilet.  So, some orientation will be needed but happens quickly. Do try to add the Amharic or Sidamic phrases so your child understands. 

Birth family meetings

Everyone has their own feelings on meeting birth family members. It could be really stressful, emotional or awkward. Stories I have heard run the gamete. Birth mothers and fathers ceremonially giving their children to the new parents, prayer, good wishes, letters for the child, etc..... all the way to it was awkward, and they demanded money. For most, the experience lands somewhere in the middle.

Different agencies have different policies on meeting birth families.Some have you wait until after the US Embassy appointment, others after court only, others still, after you have picked up your child for the final time and will keep him or her with you indefinitely. Some don't even want you to meet them at all. You will have to abide by your agencies preferences. Ethiopia's official stance, as far as I can gather, is that it is ok to meet birth relative AFTER you have taken custody of the child and that there be NO money exchanged in any way.Of course no matter what your situation, it is really up to the birth family if they want to meet you. You can request or not request, but if they want to or do not want to meet, then that is what will happen. (per your agency rules).

Meeting a family member can be beneficial for your history records for your child. They will inevitably want to know something about their personal history. We all want to give our children as much as we can and with Ethiopia, that is often very very little.

In case you have the opportunity to meet a birth relative of your child you may like to have some questions ready for the occasion.I would suggest taking these with you at every outing. We asked to meet a birth relative. We assumed we would be given the yes or no and if yes a date and time. We did not expect that that person would be waiting for us when we picked up our children! I did not have my questions and was so flustered with everything new and different, and jet lag that I did not have my normal ability to think on the spot. Much of what I wanted to know is lost forever, if it was even knowable. Take your questions with you just in case! Identify your critical questions ahead of time in case your time is short or emotionally draining.

Here are mine:

Things I want to know about my sons:

(Some of this you may know from your referral. Of course you can verify what you have been told)
you can ask about translations of words, dates, meanings, etc. A lot of this can also be done on line after you are home. Get your criticals asked before you run out of emotional steam on both ends.

Name:

Meaning

Who gave it to him

Situation

any thing significant about his birth or time of his birth

date of birth at best guess

place of birth
what was the child like as an infant

tribe of child's ancectors
tribal markings or traditions still kept
religion of family

Family information and names, anything known

Region he is from, city name where born
what was his or her home like

Family History social and medical

Did he live with family or only in the orphanage

siblings?

what was his relationship with birth mother/father like

how did mother and father meet

married when and where, what was that like
names of as many family members as possible, parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles

are they still married/separated/divorced/death of one or both parent

does the child know and have an idea about this situation
cause of death

why adoption
hopes for the child to be shared with child
happy or favorite stories to be shared with the child about family or self

What age did  he come to the orphanage

Under what circumstances did he arrive

What was his physical condition when he came

How long did it take him to adjust to the new situation, any new situation, new teachers, etc.

Medical history of family

Birth details

Infancy, any information,

Early childhood, any information

home life details

parents work

Social history

What does he like to eat

To do

Who is his friend

Who is his favorite nanny/teacher

What is he good at

Is there any textures of food or clothing that bother him,

Sounds or smells?

Does he like soft or firm touch

Does he like to be held

Does he tend to go full force ahead or is he more cautious

What is his sleep routine/habits/schedule

What does he do to show displeasure or that he is upset

Does he come to an adult when hurt or upset

Does he tell stories, tell about experiences, ideas, etc

How does he relate to other children his age

To younger children

To older children

To adults

To strangers

To animals

What is it that seems to be the thing that upsets him most

Does he share his feelings

Is he happy or sullen or contemplative

Does he play alone or with others mostly

how does he play with others

What is his educational status

Can he read

Do math

Write

Etc.

How much does he know in English

What language does he speak mostly

Is he obedient

Is he compliant

Can  he stand up for himself

is he willful or stubborn

Schedule?

Talents?

Names of friends and caretakers

Things to do in Ethiopia, Desta Mender, Fistula Hospital

Just thought I would share a very special place that anyone would have time
to visit while in Ethiopia. I think it's so important to get out of Addis as
the majority of our kids don't come from the city, but the beautiful
countryside.

The Hamlin Fistula Hospital has a community on the outskirts of the city
where those with chronic, irreparable injuries can live and work. It's
called Desta Mender. They have recently opened a restaurant there and all
are encouraged to go on Saturdays and Sundays for lunch (and maybe other
times, but I'm not sure!). They have really yummy meat pies (like Chicken
pot pie) and quiches. All made with the veggies, etc... grown on their farm.
The women also make handicrafts and you can buy them there, which make for
meaningful souvenirs.

It is GORGEOUS and green farmland where they grow vegetables, have chickens,
etc... You eat outside over looking a pond and pasture. It's a GREAT escape
out of the pollution of Addis and I'm so glad I took my parents there to see
something outside of the city. I just posted one pic of the area you
overlook when you eat. A great place for the little ones to run around! And,
the women there LOVE to see the kids.

It's really close to the city, and I imagine safe to go to even with the
travel limitations of election time this summer.

I hope some of you go to check it out! Just tell your driver to take Ambo
Road out of the city. In about 10-15 km, you will see a sign for Desta
Mender on the left. You follow this road up and just tell the guards you are
eating at 'Juniper Cafe'.

Sara

Thank you Sara for letting me share! This is a truly great opportunity. Sounds like a fun outing. 

Immunizations for travel and your health while you are there

Immunizations

The Center for Disease Control  provides tips on preparing to travel, safety while in country, staying healthy, travel warnings, immunizations for every age of person traveling, things to take with you, and other travel related tips and resources. I would suggest thoroughly checking out this site before you leave.

The immunizations they recommend are: Yellow Fever, Hep A and Hep B, Rabies, Typhoid, Meningitis and Polio along with regular updates for all immunizations. Malaria is only needed outside of Addis Ababa.
Hep A & B series, DPT, Polio, Meningitis, MMR are considered wellness shots and your insurance should cover them if administered at your regular doctor office. Typhoid and Yellow Fever are not and can be obtained at many Dr. offices as well as your county health department.

We got all of these and so did our two elementary aged daughters who traveled with us. We believe in immunizations.  We have lived in a third world country and seeing what preventable diseases can do to a person, a community and a nation......... well, we believe in immunizations.

Staying Healthy in Country

I would recommend that you take for at least a week before going some sort of pro-biotic like Acidophiles tablets. They come in all sorts. A great form is the non refrigerated Pearl. You can get it at Walmart. We like the chewable ones at Kroger related stores for kids.You should continue to take this while you are there and after you come home for a time. Hey, why not just keep taking it, it's good for you anyway. :)


I would also suggest taking an immune booster like Airborne before you travel and while you are there. Take it every day. You will be exposed to many different virus' and you DON'T want to catch them.

If you have environmental allergies or asthma. The smog is horrendous. You will NEED your meds, any you can possibly take. Also take decongestant and a cough syrup like Delsym. Just take your antihistamine every single day.

Other medications I would suggest are: Scabies cream Permethrin 5%, Ring worm treatment Lotramin Ultra, Pure Tea Tree Oil for this also. Children's medications for cold and allergies. Pain meds and IcyHot for the new muscles you will develop carrying around your new child.

If you can manage this, I would suggest taking a water purifier with you. REI sells a ultraviolet light SteriPen which is awesome. You just stick it in the jug for a certain amount of time and wa-la you have pure water. We used that and it was great. Or you can buy water. Drink LOTS of water.

For altitude: We have always lived over 6000 feet, so the altitude did not bother us. But, for many of our guests we have learned some great tips. In order to thin your blood and therefore need less oxygen you should take an Aspirin each day (like Bayer's not Advil). In order to help your blood absorb more oxygen you should take several Tums or Rolaids each day. Avoid as much caffeine as possible (yeah right, tired parents need their caffeine, plus the great Ethiopian coffee), well balance it with more water than you would ordinarily drink, hence that SteriPen. You will feel better and function better and not be as tired.

Ok, hope that answers some questions.

Travel Caution for election time

Saw this too. Good information for those who will be traveling at this time. When we lived in South America there were lots of these.  Just be careful and wise and listen to your in country facilitators and what your agency is asking you to do when you travel.

April 13, 2010

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Ethiopia before and after national parliamentary elections scheduled for May 23, 2010, and recommends against all but essential travel to Ethiopia during this period. This Travel Alert expires on July 1, 2010.

Past elections in Ethiopia have featured violence in Addis Ababa and other areas of the country throughout the campaign season, the election, and especially in the days and weeks following the announcement of election results. Election results are scheduled to be announced June 21, 2010.

U.S. citizens should be aware that even peaceful gatherings and demonstrations can turn violent. U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Ethiopia during this period are reminded to maintain a high level of security awareness at all times and avoid political rallies, demonstrations, and crowds of any kind. U.S. citizens should avoid polling places on election day, and be aware that authorities will strictly enforce specific prohibitions such as photography at polling stations. U.S. citizens are advised to monitor the situation via local media sources and the Internet. Significant traffic congestion, shortages of lodging availability, and large crowds throughout the country, particularly in Addis Ababa, are likely to inconvenience travelers. In addition, telephone services may be disrupted, as occurred during the 2005 elections.

Travelers also are reminded that extremists from Somalia and the heavy military buildup along Ethiopia's northern border pose risks to safety and security, particularly along Ethiopia's borders and in the Somali region. In southern Ethiopia along the Kenyan border, banditry and incidents involving ethnic conflicts are also common. Travelers should exercise caution when traveling to any remote area of the country, including the borders with Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya and Sudan. Ethiopian security forces do not have a widespread presence in those regions. For additional information, please see the most recent Country Specific Information for Ethiopia on our web site at www.travel.state. gov.

U.S. citizens living or traveling in Ethiopia are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration web site to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ethiopia. U.S. citizens without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy. By registering, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency.

U.S. Embassy Ethiopia
Entoto Avenue, P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
Telephone: 251-11-124-2424
Emergency after-hours telephone: 251-11-517-4000 ext. 0
Email: consacs@state. gov

Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

For information on general crime and security issues, U.S. citizens may also consult the Department of State's Country Specific Information for Ethiopia as well as The Worldwide Caution located on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

Guest House Review: Addis Guest House

Thank you to Kelly for this helpful review of the Addis Guest House.  If you also stayed here please comment on it in the comment section! The more info. the better for anyone looking for where to stay.

 

We stayed at Addis Guest House and would stay there again.  Our room was a very nice size with a large living room which would seat 6 or so, hallway, mini kitchen, private bathroom, and bedroom.  We had one full sized bed in our bedroom and they brought a toddler bed in for our son. The people who ran the guesthouse and worked there were incredibly helpful and nice helping us translate when our son was having a rough time, playing hours of soccer with our son in the little enclosed concreted area, immediately repairing anything in the room we needed repaired, and finding us a way to call home and communicate, even giving us their personal cell phones to use for the duration of our stay.  We had private dial-up internet in our room which was like the rest of the country, in and out.  They had a generator so we never lost power at night. We did loose power during the day as they didn't use the generator when most guests were gone.  We never had a problem with warm water for our showers.  Some of the rooms had balconies as well, and all of them had huge windows that opened to let the breeze in.  We were in a convenient and very safe location just far enough outside the city in Bole to avoid a lot of the vehicle exhaust problem. 

 

Although we loved staying there and would again, we did have a few complaints.  The food took hours to get after we ordered it, but this is something we quickly learned our way around (ordering it hours before we knew we would be hungry).  We didn't like the food very well at Addis Guest House and ordered out frequently.  They were very helpful when we decided to order out. The guest house would either send a cab for it or go get it themselves.  Another complaint was the room kitchen wasn't really in working order.  The refrigerator wasn't plugged in and the kitchen sink wasn't useable.  We did still have the bathroom sink and this could have just been our room with this problem.  It wasn't a huge problem for us, but had I been there with more than one child, I probably would have wanted to use the kitchen more.

Many blessings,
Kelly
www.thecashcrew.blogspot.com

Scabies, Ringworm, Molluscum, skin irritations, Giardia

Ok, you are getting ready to leave or you are recently home with your newly adopted kids. Skin issues are a big concern. What do you need to know? What should you do about this or that? Well, here are a few thoughts and tips on some of the more common skin issues that kids from Ethiopia deal with.
There is a ton of information on the Orphan Doctor web site and I would suggest a thorough read of this page before going to any doctor. Maybe even a print out. :) Here.

Scabies:

This helpful tip was given on our adoption agency yahoo group and the author of it gave me permission to post it here. Thanks Jen!
I thought I'd post this tidbit for the future travelers in the group. We have
been home for 3 weeks now, and just a few days ago, our live-in nanny developed
a rash that was diagnosed today as Scabies! Loads of fun. After some research
I found out that your child can have Scabies mites and not show symptoms, and
still infect others in your house. The incubation time from initial infestation
to showing symptoms varies from 2 to 6 weeks. We have to treat EVERYONE in the
house on the same night (Permethrin Cream 5%, one time overnight), AND wash
everything -- bedding, clothes, towels, etc. Everything that can't be washed
(stuffed animals, very large blankets) go into plastic bags for 10 days.
Mattresses get put into plastic mattress bags for 10 days as well. If you can
fit stuff in your freezer, it does the same thing as the plastic bags, but only
takes overnight (our jackets are currently in the freezer). We have to repeat
it all a week later if anyone is itchy.

So, my reason for writing this -- treat your child and yourselves BEFORE you
come home! Shimeles never showed signs of Scabies -- no rash, no itching, but
there's nowhere else it could have come from.

I had the cream with us in ET, but didn't use it because I didn't see any
symptoms. Do yourselves a favor and take care of it before you come home. The
treatment is very benign, and usually one application is curative. The laundry,
however, is the gift that keeps on giving.
End message from my yahoo group.

Use HOT water in every load. Use the washing machine as the laundry hamper for your child and do not wash anything else with his clothes and sheets. Change often. Shower often.The medication you use is called Permethrin cream 5%  and it is a prescription. You put it all over head to foot for a few days and then it is gone. It works great and we used it for spot treatment after treatment as well. We used it in Ethiopia and we had no issues with it once we got home. Highly recommend treating. Take it home with you if you don't use it, just in case. If you don't use it in 6 months you can give it to a traveling family. That is how we got ours. 

Ringworm:

(from me) Ringworm looks like a little water filled pimple at first, then a small blister, then it develops into a RING of tiny blisters and grows and festers. It itches. As soon as you notice it use one of two proven products on it. #1 Lotramin Ultra or ring worm cream or #2 TeaTree Oil (pure). This is going to be a repeat thing. Here is a coupon for the Lotramin ring worm cream (different than Lotramin Ultra) . DO NOT use an off brand, it does not work as well. I know we tried several in order to save money and just ended up buying the expensive stuff.

Ringworm on the scalp. Ok, let's face it, this is not a big issue American doctors deal with and they pretty much stink at diagnosing it. They look at the scary photos on line and say, "nope, your kid just has dry skin or cradle cap, or dandruff". Well, that is what it looks like on the scalp. Dry patches, or maybe tiny pimples. You might notice this when you shave off your son's hair every once in a while, if you do that. On a daughter it would be less visible. One sure way to tell if your child has ringworm of the scalp is if you keep getting it. We had taken care of scabies and ringworm on our boys and they seemed to be "cured". But, for some mysterious reason us parents kept getting it on our arms and chins. Hmmm. Who's precious little head nestled in those two places frequently? Our boys. I determined that it had to be ringworm by reading in a book we have for missionaries and talking to other adoptive parents and reading the subtle indicators that only some sites give. I tried Lotramin Ultra on it. I tried fungal powder on it. I tried tea tree oil on it. Nothing worked. After the boys had been home about 11 months and still had it, i basically told the dr that we HAD to have some cure. They did a lab test on the hair roots and much to the surprise of the Dr. yes it was ringworm. They took the meds (oral antifungal, such as Grifulvin (Griseofulvin) or Loprox) and, well, that was the end of that! So, no side effects and it worked. Ringworm is a fungus and it lives in the system, not just on the skin. So a child who has had it a long time will not be all that successfully treated by topical meds, because it has become systemic. So, the oral med really gets it out of the system. Suggested just for tough cases.I will say it was really expensive, but worth it.
It is possible that your child may also have a staph/strep infection on the scalp. This is sometimes caused by the fact that the Ringworm  has opened the head for infection. Some families Doctors have prescribed
ketaconazole 2% shampoo for daily use as well as econazole nitrate cream in addition to the griseofulvin oral meds. Also, due to the starts of secondary infections, bactraban cream, may be prescribed to prevent the spread of staph/bacteria.  Apparently some really good tests need to be made. Perhaps an adoption clinic or specialist would be able to diagnose this condition.



Good information Web MD on Ringworm more on Web MD.
For pets here
Drug info for people, for pets
It is recommended to use Selsen Blue shampoo or other anti fungal body products at the same time. It is also a good idea to find anti fungal products for the house and laundry.
Two good sites describing Ring worm of the scalp in African American children, very helpful! Skin of Color and Skin Care .

Molluscum:

This is a round, fleshy, flesh lump of skin that appears on the face or body. It is water filled and is acutally a harmless fungus. If it bursts it could so be sure to keep it clean. Tea Tree Oil has been used to dry it out by some parents. It goes away on it's own. A mom on one of the forums I am on used Terracil on her kids and it went away in weeks rather than month. You might look that one up and see what you think of it.

Skin irritations:

Our boys get patchy dry skin and sometimes what we call "chicken skin" tight bumpy dry skin on their chest, tummy and back. They also get little tiny bumps on their faces and necks. FOR US this is relieved by giving them lactose free milk, soy milk or rice milk. They seem to be fine with yogurt, ice cream, cheese, etc. in limited amounts. We were told that this is just dry skin, but it goes away with out the Lactose milk. So, i think it is more than dry skin. Worth a try.

Giardia:

Even though it is not a skin related issue, I am going to add Giardia here because we had to deal with this for over a year. That seems egregious to me and I hope none of you have to deal with it that long. It did not transfer to any other members of the family, and for that I am grateful. We were extra careful.  I do understand that it is somewhat normal, so don't fret too much if you too are doing way too many samples and meds and getting NO results. After several rounds of multiple meds (some I learned later were not even for Giardia) we switched doctors and got a script for 45 ml tinidazole 250 mg/5cc suspension meds. This is usually used successfully for resistant cases. It worked great. The giardia can become resistant when left untreated which is the case for many Ethiopian kids who come home with it. So, if you have not yet tried that, see if it could work out. We had to have it formulated at a compounding pharmacy and it is a bit more pricey, but hey, it works, and that is less than all the treatments we used before that did not work all combined. 

So, for other things and more info on any of these: go check out the Orphan Doctor web site. It is really informative. Here. You can also check Web MD for specific information and also Drugs.com for info on the medications listed here. Of course none of this is medical advice and you should see a Pediatrician or medical doctor for treatment and diagnosis. Or your vet if your child has transferred any of this to your pets - pretty common!

What folks are doing and seeing while in Ethiopia

People are always asking what to do when they are in Ethiopia. So, I have asked a few moms who I know to give us some ideas using what they did while they were in country for their adoptions.

This is from Lisa and Steve about what they were able to do while they were in Ethiopia, thanks Lisa:

We visited Children's Hope Chest projects, Drawn from Water (an organization
who rescues children who are to be drowned in the river due to tribal
superstitions) and several orphanages. One family visited their Compassion
child whom they had sponsored for ten years. They said it was an amazing
experience! We also visited three other orphanages. One of the highlights of
our trip (although it was very hard) was our trip to Sodo, five hours south
of Addis, to meet our child's birth mother. Finally, we visited the Robera
coffee factory.

I suggest getting into the countryside in some way and visiting some
orphanages, micro finance projects, or other organizations that are
assisting in humanitarian aid. It will put American life into proper
perspective.

From myslef:
We also would suggest getting into the country side. Two day trips of sorts are Wolisou where there is a mini resort with a hot springs swimming pool. Go on a thursday. And the other is Entoto, where you can see a small museum, a church and the palace remains of King Menalik II. The view of Addis is stunning, and even in the fog and rain the scenery is so surreal. Great trips.
We also visited our Compassion Child and would highly recommend that trip of a lifetime if you sponsor a child in the area.

I hope to add to this post the experiences of others. If you have suggestions  on what to do leave a comment.

Yebsabi Guest House review

Lisa and Steve recently stayed at the Yebsabi Guest House when they were there to adopt their new daughter, and I have asked her to write a review of her experience there. Thanks Lisa! Here is what she says:

The Yebsabi Guest House was a welcome reprieve in the busy city. It was
clean, quiet (except for a few barking dogs and a Friday night party in the
streets) and the service was outstanding.  They have a full-time chef who
prepares a complimentary breakfast daily. Our favorite was a "pita pancake",
but he would also make omelets or eggs by request.  If he was informed by
4pm, he would make dinner. We did this several times because it was good,
safe and easy.  Our favorites: 1. Yebsabi pizza and 2. chicken and rice with
a yummy tomato sauce

We had a suite with a kitchen, which was so helpful for the times we cooked
for ourselves. I wish we would have brought more pasta and sauce and we
would have cooked even more ourselves. It was a comfort to have "safe" food
to eat. The best food choice I took was a large bag of mixed fruit and nuts
from Costco. That lasted all ten days for me (my husband wouldn't eat
"rabbit food", but I was satisfied).  We were very cautious about eating,
drank only bottled water and fortunately, did not get sick.

I pondered the contrast of our lodging with the surrounding buildings. I
looked out of our window daily at women who were hand washing their laundry
and preparing food in pots on the floor. One time a woman was snapping beans
then laying them on the concrete. Their concept of germs is quite
non-existent. Their immune systems must be amazing in that so many survive
so much unsanitary living.

I was so pleased that the owner accommodated all of these families who were
adopting.  After we received our children, it was busy and some of the
parents were not as sensitive to their behavior as I was. However, the owner
was gracious about it and it obviously does not keep her from welcoming
these small children into her business.

Grief talk and links

Well, I have posted a bit on attachment but not so much on grief. This is a really important step for all adopted children. Home at birth, home at 8 months, home at 18 month, age 5 or 10 or 14, they all will grieve, they have all lost. Grieving is part of loving what you have gained. The loss brought you the gain, that can be a source of anger, and eventually when the grief is embraced and subsides then the love can come. With the power of grief, it is hard to feel and accept the love. So, let them grieve, grieve the loss with them. Then celebrate the gain, the family, the love, the life.  Of course you cover grief in the parent classes you have to take prior to adoption. But, then when it really hits, wow. Sometimes you forget all you read or learned momentarily, then it comes back and off you go on the journey of a life time. Sometimes you have the experience of your own grief to go back to and relate with your child on, and understand their hard emotions. It is always good to have more resources and more encouragement from others along the same sort of path.  I love this blog post relating grief to carrying a sleeping bag. Go read it.


I recently re-read one of my favorite books on grief. I read it to the boys. While it is great for all ages, I would say that the meaning behind the soup needs explanation to a child still in the concrete phase of thinking. Tear Soup. I love this book and feel that it is truly one of the best all around books on dealing with grief. So weather you are dealing with a sleeping bag or a bowl of soup. Weather it is a child suffering the losses associated with adoption, another family member grieving a death, a hardship, a loss of anykind...... here is the book that I think of as the book of all books on grief. See it on Amazon.
Their description:

Product Description

If you are going to buy only one book on grief, this is the one to get! It will validate your grief experience, and you can share it with your children. You can leave it on the coffee table so others will pick it up, read it, and then better appreciate your grieving time. Grand's Cooking Tips section at the back of the book is rich with wisdom and concrete recommendations. Better than a casserole!

And this is from our library:
Tear soup : a recipe for healing after loss
    Schwiebert, Pat.

Summary

In this modern-day fable, a woman who has suffered a terrible loss cooks up a special batch of "tear soup," blending the unique ingredients of her life into the grief process. Along the way she dispenses a recipe of sound advice for people who are in mourning. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Other articles on grief and the adopted child.
Adoption.com   Grief and Loss in Adopted Children second article
Families.com Raising and Adopted Child
fairfamilies.org Adaptive Grieving - Natural for Adopted Child
Suite101.com  Grief and Loss in Adopted Children
About.com has some great links to grief issues - Understanding Grief and Loss - 8 ways to help a child grieve - Understanding a child's yearly struggles with grief -
Article by Sherri Eldridge on Rainbow Kids
Impact of Adoption on Adopted Persons, this is not a stellar article but it has some really good points.

Children's Grief reactions to the death of a loved one
Helping Children through grief
Understanding Children's Grief
Grief Can Last a Lifetime
Grief and Loss for Adopted Children
Several more articles on grief and loss for children

A bunch of articles on Helping Children with Grief, looks like personal experiences on this site

Children and Grief is a real thing 

 Well, there you go, some basics to start with. Grief is natural and should not be feared or avoided. Help your little one to see that it is ok to feel this way and teach them how to show it and share it in positive ways.

Meal tickets you can buy and give in Addis Ababa

This is a wonderful resource for those of you traveling to Ethiopia. When we were there we heard of this but could not figure out where it was. So, here is the info if you are interested. I am modifying some information I learned about from others.

A ministry called Hope Enterprises sells meal tickets (eight for 4 Birr) that you can give to needy children/adults. This is a great thing as there are so many begging and you wish to do something that will truly help. It is on 155 Churchill Rd. The phone # is +251-11-1553102, and are open 8-12, 1-5 M-Sat

Here is there website:  Hope Enterprises


A caution that others have noted, is to be sure to hand them out in the Churchill area. In other areas, the people aren't often familiar with the Hope program, or it just may be too far/costly to travel across Addis.  If you find yourself with a lot of tickets left over at the end of your trip, take them to the Ethiopia Guest Home and leave them for Peter Abera. He will use them for his ministry in Kechene -these people will walk for a hot meal!

Ok, hope that is helpful for those of you getting ready to travel. And thanks to the ladies who posted this really helpful information!
Jill

Where to stay/ Guest Houses

There are so many places to stay when you are in Ethiopia. If your agency is urging you to stay at a guest house rather than a hotel then your options are even greater.

We stayed at the New Flower Guest House and would recommend that to anyone.
A year and a half later there are sooooo many more options. Some of the web sites that I have looked at after others have stayed there and loved it are following:

Here is our recommendation post for New Flower. Recommendation for Yebsabi from a friend of ours.

Yebsabi
Yeka
Ethiopian Guest House
New Flower Guest House
Addis Guest House
Dimitri Hotel
Addis View Hotel
The Union Hotel (Holt uses this hotel, but there is no web site, just some blogs)
Bole Ambassador Hotel
Oziopia Guest House I think this would be a wonderful place to stay, It was our first pick, but they were moving house when we needed to be there..... so, if anyone has stayed here please write us a review! I would love to go back and try out this one.
List of Adoption Friendly Guest houses on Ethiopian Hotel site, not that I know a lot about most of these, but it is a place to start.
A list of hotels and information to compare

What about this one Ayat House
What about Bole Rock Hotel??? I hear it has a natural spring swimming pool and suites. Sounds nice, is it?

I know it is a short list..... if you have stayed at another one and would like me to add it that would be great. I would also like to have your recommendation for any of these if you have stayed there. A paragraph on your experience would be great. Just post in the comments for this post. Or send it to me via email and I will post it as a separate post and link it here. jillanddave@yahoo.com Thanks! If you are looking for recommendations you must check the comments as people are leaving their experience stories there. :)