We Adopted a Dusty Miller: One Family's Journey with an Attachment Disorder Child

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."