Abstract
Objectives: evaluate the demographic characteristics and health status of children adopted from Kazakhstan at arrival in Belgium.
Material and methods: Retrospective review of data gathered at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM).
Results: 17 children were seen in the ITM between from 01-2008 to 11-2009. Reason for adoption: 58% renunciation, 24% abandoned, 12% foundlings, 6% true orphans. All children lived in an orphanage prior to adoption. 29% were ‘special needs’ children. Age at arrival : 0,17 and 73 months; in 29% the birth date was uncertain.
Height z-scores and weight z-scores ranged from -4,38 to 0,82 (mean -2,02) and from -3,34 to 1,07 (mean -0,98). 47% of the children were stunted, 12% wasted.
The immunization status was complete in 42% and unknown in 29% of the cases.
Feces examination revealed Ascaris lumbricoides in 1/17 & Opisthorchiasis in 1/17. 3/7 of the children had serological evidence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection; thus far this has not been described in Kazakh children.
47% of the adoptees were in good health at initial examination. Dysmorphic features and malformations were present in 29%.
Conclusion: a considerable number of children had malformations, parasitic infections, or other problems. Stunted growth was present in a striking number of adopted Kazakh children. As most were not underweight and nutritional supply is adequate, this could be attributed to emotional deprivation in orphanages.
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Peeters, E., Meeus, M., Ramet, J. et al. 163 Health Status of Children Adopted From Kazakhstan in Belgium. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 85–86 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00163
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00163
