After a woman and her family decide to adopt a young child, they quickly realize that their adoptive seven-year-old daughter displays behaviors that traditional parenting strategies seem ill-equipped to handle. When a child is affected with reactive attachment disorder (RAD) or suffers from the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome/effect (FAS/E), parents may face a daunting and sometimes heartbreaking challenge. And when parents and families furthermore find themselves at a distance from support, services, and care professionals-- not to mention surrounded by a lack of understanding from friends and the community--the challenge can be overwhelming. In We Adopted a Dusty Miller, author Phyllis Bosley honestly and sincerely shares her and her family's experiences caring for and working with a child affected by RAD and FAS/E. With a clear picture of the sometimes difficult, whirlwind journey it takes to support a child living with a disorder, she provides a path for parents and families to begin thinking about how to manage care, seek resources, and ultimately better understand their child's condition. With an eye toward adoption and placement reform, the development of comprehensive, wrap-around care, and increased family and community support for truly understanding how RAD and FAS/E affect both families and their children, parents of a child afflicted with the emotional and physical consequences of early trauma may hopefully find advocacy and support from those around them.
