Health screening of international adoptees. Evaluation of a hospital based clinic.

Abstract

To report the findings of health screening of 100 international adoptees. Retrospective case review. The first 100 children to attend the Outpatient Inter-Country Adoption Clinic at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. A medical history was taken and a thorough physical examination and series of screening investigations were performed on all children. The children ranged in age from two months to 16 years (median, five months; mean, 2.8 years). The countries most represented were Korea, with 36 children, and India, with 21. Thirty children fell below the third Australian centile for both height and weight. Abnormalities on physical examination included hepatosplenomegaly (13 children), scabies (six) and severe dental caries (six). Parasitic infestation of the stools was found in 23 children, a positive Mantoux test result in nine (three had active tuberculosis), anaemia in 12, elevated hepatic transaminase levels in nine and positive hepatitis B surface antigen and e antigen in two. One child had acquired syphilis. Screening for human immunodeficiency virus antibody gave negative results in all children. International adoptees constitute a special paediatric subgroup requiring assessment and screening investigations as soon as possible after arrival in their adoptive country.