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We’re still on things you can do while waiting for your referral, or – even harder – after your referral and before your child comes home. One of the tasks for you to undertake is to find a pediatrician or family doctor, if you don’t already have one. You will also want to find a pediatric dentist or one who is comfortable with children with NO experience visiting the dentist.
Adopting a child from Africa involves different health care issues than adopting domestically, as you might imagine. For example, one problem that can be common in some areas of Africa are “jiggers”. Not referring to lost jiggers of salt, these little critters imbed themselves in the bare feet of children running around in the dirt. They are also called “sand fleas” and burrow under the skin. I have seen children with pretty severe infestations and even for me, as a nurse, it was pretty gross. But, that potentially is one issue that your child’s doctor would want to be aware of.
There are a number of other issues – tuberculosis, Hepatitis A, B and/or C, lead poisoning, malaria (endemic to many areas of Africa), rickets, Vitamin A deficiency and other manifestations of malnutrition. In addition, there may be any number of intestinal problems, from giardia and salmonella to various intestinal parasites. While your doctor does not need to know all the answers, I believe you would be wise to choose a doctor who is willing to learn from some of the international adoption docs who have become experts in the field. Your physician can find a list of recommended tests right here and here (about 2/3 of the way down the page). You can also check out the “Ask the Adoption Doctor” on the Adoption.com website. 
When choosing a dentist, I would strongly recommend you choose a pediatric dentist. In addition to being trained as a dentist, they typically spend an additional 2-3 years training specifically in pediatric dentistry. They should be skilled at making your child feel at ease, know how to deal with a child that freaks out over dental X-rays and cleanings, and skilled as dentists. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has a site you can use to find a pediatric dentist in your area. We have used a pediatric dentist for our large group for years now, presenting him with some very challenging situations (both kids and teeth!). He has handled them all with skill and compassion, which is probably why we are still going back!
Good luck as you take this important step along the road to bringing your children home. These health care providers will be a critical part of your “team”.
