When you take your adopted child to a doctor’s appointment, you’ll be asked whether anyone in your family has had diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and orange of other conditions. This is necessary because some diseases run in families. Your child’s doctor wants to know which conditions to watch out for and test for. Here’s the catch: they’re asking about your adopted child’s family medical history, not yours.
You have to keep your wits about you and avoid automatically answering with your own information. Instead, you need to give the child’s information. So how can you find out about your adopted child’s family medical history?
Adoption records
The state of Arkansas collects social and genetic history for adopted children as part of the adoption records. These records will include the child’s medical history and that of the birth parents and their siblings — “if obtainable.” It will have information about the genetic and ethnic background of the child — again, “if obtainable.” Sometimes this information is not included in adoption records. If it is in fact available, it will be shared with prospective adoptive parents before the adoption.
The names and addresses of the birth parents may not be included in this information. In the case of a closed adoption, adoptive parents will receive only as much information as the birth mom chooses to share.
Asking the birth parents
In an open adoption, it makes sense to ask for missing information. In open adoptions, adoptive parents maintain contact with the birth parents, so you can reach out when questions arise.
However, the kind and degree of contact may change over time. It’s wise to ask questions early instead of waiting for your pediatrician to ask. You may not have as much contact in the future as you do early in the relationship.
If possible, ask other relatives as well. A young birth mother may not be aware of her parents’ or grandparents’ medical histories.
Using genetic databases
Organizations like Ancestry.com or 23andme may have records about your adopted child’s forebears. It is sometimes possible to see an adopted child’s family tree and causes of death or other medical information over time. Some genetic testing services share some health information as well, or have information about ethnic heritage that can be helpful in making good guesses about health needs.
Be aware of the possible lack of accuracy in these records, since they are often crowdsourced from people sharing their own remembrances or family lore.
Be open with doctors
Your child’s pediatrician may want information on family medical history, but the truth is that many people don’t have that information. Your doctor can work around that lack of information if necessary.
The March of Dimes has free downloadable family medical history forms which can help you gather information.