Attachment Disorder Adopted Children

Why do some adopted children suffer from attachment disorder?

           Adopting a child is always one of the sweetest gifts any family could have. Attachment Disorders refer to those psychiatric or mental sicknesses that continuously develop in kids or infants facing emotional attachments challenges towards other people living with or around them (Howe, p.265). It is worth noting that these challenges can be extensive, especially if these kids or infants are of a different race, different nationality, older age-wise, or even adopted by a household with a single parent. 

Why do some adopted children have attachment issues? What is missing for them that they don't like to be touched?

           A child could exhibit emotional attachment challenges in the early stages, including their first birthday (Howe, p.265). Often the relatives, parents, or matrons of orphanages take children to a doctor or a physician with several symptoms, including; closeness to unfamiliar people and stagnated weight. Other symptoms are; resistance to social interactions, defiant behavior, restlessness, non-responsive behavior, failure to smile, avoidance of eye contact, no emotions during punishment, being in control and extreme colic, and difficulties in feeding. The kids or infants having attachment problems usually experience two types of emotional attachment disorders: the Disinhibited Social Engagement disorder and the Reactive Attachment Disorder. 

           The Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder. Those kids or infants with this type of attachment disorder always never seem to fear or get frightened when meeting strangers or seeing unfamiliar faces that they do not seem to recognize. At times, these children would greet these strangers, hug them, and even be too friendly despite meeting for the first time in their lives (Lehmann, p448). These infants would be welcome with ease and would love to be offered toys or even dolls by these strangers. They may even take a walk with these strangers, allow the strangers to feed them, or even pick them up from their homes. 

           The Reactive Attachment Disorder. Those kids experiencing this type of attachment disorder often do not like to socialize or mingle with other kids or even other people. 

These children never seek comfort from their foster homes, orphanage matrons, or caregivers. They find it hard to calm down whenever they are stressed and often never seek assistance. During their socialization with adults or even other children, they do not show any signs of emotions or at times exhibit little emotions (Lehmann, p446). These kids will always seem very sad, frightened, irritated, and unhappy during their everyday activities with their foster parents or siblings. Therefore, if these symptoms they exhibit become chronic, a diagnosis of RAD is usually made.

           Most of these disorders are caused by severe problems in their early relationships with these new families that have adopted them (Howe, p.268). They usually show these disorders due to neglect, emotional or mental torture, and not limited to being physically abused. The majority of these children have gone through little or not enough care in the institutions or homes where they live. Some children often experience numerous traumatic losses, and at times when existing caregivers or foster parents are replaced or changed, this might lead to these attachment disorders. 

           As it may seem, there is no specific cause of attachment disorders among children or infants. Several researchers have implied that the main source of these attachment disorders is poor, little, or inadequate caregiving amongst these children. It's also worth noting that social or interaction, mental health, or emotional and physical challenges relating to RAD and DSED attachment disorders among adopted children may persist as children grow older. Therefore, these children should be taken for extensive psychiatric checkups and a personalized treatment plan involving both the children and the whole family living with them (Lehmann, p450). This treatment plan would strengthen the relationship bonds and understand the child's family even more. This plan would also increase the probability of a positive outcome. Adopted children always need severe and immediate emotional care, love, attention, understanding, time, and involvement in daily family fun activities. Without the elements mentioned above, adopted children or infants would behave strangely and be very stubborn in the eyes of their care caregivers or families.