Description

***Update***

We are happy to have a fairly recent update (July 2020) for sweet Simon. During the 2020-21 school year Simon is in the third grade. Simon is blind but able to move independently although he sometimes uses a prop to stabilize him. He walks on the balls of his feet. He walks with his legs apart for better stability. He has orthopedic shoes for walking outside and also uses a specialized stroller. Simon is able to independently feed and drink from a cup/bottle. He is able to use the spoon and fork with both hands. Simon responds to his name. He can tell how old he is, his gender affiliation and can show with his hands how tall he will grow up to be. Simon purposefully looks for contact with others. He started to use the “I” form for expressing his wishes and needs. He is able to verbally express his opinion in certain situations for example when he dislikes certain music.

Simon recognizes known people from strangers. He enjoys spending time and activities with his foster family members. He is able to correct his behavior depending on who the person is asking him for correction. Simon plays independently and with other people. He changes his preferences to different toys and songs. He likes to spend more time on the rocking chair. Frequently he invents games just with himself. He is able to participate in gathering the toys. Simon is able to put on and off his shoes and socks alone. He can also wash his face and hands and turn on and off the tap by himself. He knows when entering a room to take off his jacket and shoes. Simon still uses a diaper but only occasionally does he wet himself. He is able to tell the staff when he needs to have a bowel movement. Simon is able to show joy and happiness relevant to what is happening and understands humor. Please reach out to us to read more about how Simon is doing.

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A WIA specific grant may be attached to the adoption of this child. The grant is in the amount of $2,500. Please talk to Kathy Junk about eligibility requirements.

Simon was born in March 2010 and is blind.

AN UPDATE FROM OCTOBER 2017 SAYS:
Simon has made a lot of progress! Now walks more in comparison with crawling. During the past weeks more frequently steps on his heel and wants to walk lead by a hand, in comparison to push his stroller. When he does not reach the opposite wall to lean on, pushes his body. He does gymnastics which help for the development of the musculature of his limbs. His hands have strong catch. He is independent in feeding and drinking. Uses a spoon well both with left and right hand. He can hold his attention on certain activity/topic for longer time, especially when he has an interest. Shows an interest when into the room enters a new person. He listens to the other’s speech, likes children’s songs. The boy creates his own games, participates in activities of close people.

The boy recreates positive and negative emotions. The boy listens, understands and reacts of the surrounding people’s speech – participates in dialog, asks questions and notify for his needs. He uses more communication sentences, but still expresses some of his wishes with questioner sentences.

Simon is able to engage himself alone as well as with the surrounding people. In information of the foster parents he likes the contact with other children, to goes for walks outside.He can tell how old he is, and improve the information for gender affiliation and shows with hands how big he will grow.

OUR EASTERN EUROPE REPRESENTATIVE WRITES:
We keep hoping that a family for this blind boy will be found as we truly believe that he has a big potential that only a loving family environment can help being developed! He now lives in a foster family that we initially thought will be good for his development as the father is visually repaired but from what we observed with the time we do not believe that they work with him in any way. It is so sad!

Contact: kathy@wiaa.org for more information.
Grant funding available to qualifying families up to $2500

Please be aware that children on our waiting list may be under review by multiple families. Additionally, a child’s availability status may change on short notice. Please contact kathy@wiaa.org for the most up-to-date status of a child