My husband and I have recently adopted two of our grandchildren, ages 2 and 3. They have lived with us since infancy, and both are special needs kids, but the youngest has multiple medical diagnoses including: Thrombocytopenia Absent Radii Syndrome (low blood platelets, missing the radius bones in her arms), rhombencephalosynapsis (a cerebellar malformation), microcephaly, cerebral palsy, and Failure to Thrive.  Matthew, the eldest, came to live with us when he was three days old.  His problems (developmental delays) stem mostly from prenatal exposure to drugs, otherwise he is healthy.  My husband and I were both employed full-time when he came to live with us, so we had him in daycare while we were at work. When Emma was born only 10 months later, she lived in the NICU for the first 5 weeks.  By the end of that time period DCFS had put a hospital hold on her so that her mother (my daughter Karen, who has serious mental health issues and was homeless at the time) could not remove her from the hospital. But DCFS would not place her with us at first.  They said that Emma had to be placed with a special foster care family that had training in the care of medically fragile children.  So we went out and got the training for caring for medically fragile children. But they still would not release Emma to us.  DCFS and the court insisted that one of us had to be a stay-at-home parent; they did not want Emma in regular day care. Since my husband had a long, horrible commute to work, he decided that it made the most sense for him to quit his job.  So now he is the stay-at-home daddy; they placed Emma with us when she was 3 months old. For more info, see Emma's blogsite: http://planetemmaclarissa.blogspot.com. I have posted pictures and videos, plus LOTS of medical information. We joined the Special Child Exchange because of Emma, anticipating times when we wouldn't be able to get necessary equipment for her through insurance.  We are glad that this group is there; it fills a real need! Regards, JoAnn O'Linger-Luscusk