International Adoption Clinic
To make an appointment, call the Child Development Center at (262) 432-6600.
Based in the Child Development Center, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin's International Adoption Clinic offers services to families adopting children from outside the United States, many of whom may have medical or developmental needs.
Only a few such programs are offered throughout the country and no other multispecialty program exists in Wisconsin.
The clinic provides:
I. Pre-adoption medical record review - A medical specialist in our clinic is available to review medical records, photos, videos and other health care history or information on children currently living overseas. To request this service:
- Call (262) 432-6618. The medical reviewer will contact you within 3 business days. Completion of the review may take longer than 3 days, depending upon the complexity of the child's condition.
- Download this document and complete the Evaluation Request Form on page 1 and the Release for Video and Medical Records Reviews form on page 2.
- Send us these forms along with copies of materials you would like reviewed. We recommend that you email materials to us to speed up the process.
- The cost of a pre-adoption medical review is $300. We accept all major credit cards or make your check payable to the Medical College of Wisconsin. The fee for a Guatemalan pre-adoption medical review is $400, which includes the initial evaluation and all monthly follow-up medical evaluations.
II. Pre-adoption psychosocial consultation - A psychologist is available to discuss potential developmental or behavioral questions that families may have regarding a particular child or the transition to parenthood in general.
Our psychologist works with families to provide special consideration to the needs of children coming from international foster care or orphanages.
A 45- to 60-minute consultation at the clinic or by telephone is available to support families prior to adoption. Discussions may include the initial transition to the U.S., special needs of children adopted from orphanages, the effects of trauma and neglect on development, racial socialization and sibling adjustment. The cost for a pre-adoption, psychosocial consultation is $150. To request this service, please call (262) 432-6634.
III. Arrival medical evaluation - After the adoption has taken place and your child arrives in his or her new home, you can make clinic appointments to meet with a team of specialists at Children's Hospital. To request this service, please call Children's Central Scheduling at (877) 607-5280 and request an International Adoption Clinic arrival visit.
Medical staff will meet with your family to discuss your child's health care needs and decide on a plan of care. After the clinic visit, your child's primary care doctor will receive a summary of the visit and any follow-up recommendations.
IV. Post-adoption physical and follow-up - After the excitement and confusion of the initial phase of adoption, the child and family begin establishing their new lives together. For most children, this involves learning and adapting to many new experiences. Our staff will support your family throughout this critical and exciting time.
Follow-up visits over the first year of adoption are encouraged. Developmental assessments of the child and overall family adjustment become the main focus of the visits.
Evaluation and therapeutic intervention also is available for older internationally adopted children if there is concern about health, behavior or development.
Clinic location
Child Development Center
13800 W. North Ave., Suite 120
Brookfield, WI 53005.