Pietro FERRARA, Costanza CUTRONA, Chiara GUADAGNO, Maria Elisa AMODEO, Ester Del VESCOVO, Francesca IANNİELLO, Tommasangelo PETİTTİ

Changes in trajectories of physical growth in a domestic adoptees sample: A preliminary study

Internationally adopted infants experienced profound institutional deprivationin early infancy. Adoption may have a positive effect on child development,providing a massive catch-up growth in the developmental parameters.In this preliminary study we examined the effect of family deprivation onabandoned children placed in high quality foster care during infancy. We alsoinvestigated the presence of a growth delay in Italian domestic adoptees at thetime of family placement and the potential physical recovery after adoption.Anthropometric measures (weight, length or height /head circumference) andBody Mass Index (BMI) were measured on arrival (T0) and 6 (T1), 12 (T2)and 24 months (T3) after adoption.The results show moderate delays in physical growth on the children’s arrivalinto the adoptive family and a significant catch-up growth in all auxologicalparameters from T0 to T3.This is one of few Italian studies that points out a positive change intrajectories of growth after child adoption.

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