Involving Mental Health Professionals
At some point, you may want to consult with a therapist, social worker, or pediatrician who has training in adoption issues. Finding a professional who fits your family's needs will take effort and time. Work with your placement agency and or your pediatrician to decide whether your child needs physical therapy, hospitalization, psychiatric intervention, or behavior modification that can be supervised by a therapist.
Trust your instincts and your knowledge of your family and your child. Don't think the worst right away. However, if your child demonstrates any of the following behaviors, immediately contact your agency or social services network in your community:
Is aggressive and shows no remorse when he hurts someone
Steals and lies without any apparent reason
Harms himself
Refuses affection and isolates himself from the rest of the family
If dealt with early on, these behaviors can be changed, but they can indicate deep psychological problems and shouldn't be ignored.
One of your biggest fears may be that your child, if he was removed from the birth family, will repeat his birth parents' behaviors or mistakes. Some people just assume that adopted children are doomed because of the mistakes or illnesses of their birth parents. Your child has the benefit of the healthy environment of your home, where you can influence his behavior to a great degree. Qualified mental health professionals can provide assistance to you and your child and help you work on any danger signs created in the birth family.
