Liam is 8 years old and is a very happy little guy with the most contagious giggles you’ll ever hear. I have no doubt that he’ll bring much joy to his forever family. He was hosted in the US over the holiday season and this is what his host mom has to say about him:

Liam has Down syndrome and a systolic heart murmur, but he doesn’t let either of these things slow him down! He is a very energetic and active little guy who enjoys playing outside (at the playground, swinging and going down the slide are favorite activities), but he also is great at entertaining himself indoors by looking at books or “writing” (making marks on paper).

He has a great imagination and especially loves to pretend to cook! He plays well with others but just as often seems to enjoy playing independently. Liam loves looking at pictures of himself and of people he knows — and he can be quite the little ham in front of the camera. He also really enjoys music and will often dance along to songs.

He is a great traveler — not only did he come all the way from China for the hosting program, but he also road-tripped from Texas to Florida and back (and he did a great job)!

Liam loves to eat — applesauce, bread, fruit snacks, and goldfish crackers are some of his favorite foods, but he isn’t a picky eater at all and eats his fruits and veggies without complaint. He may be sensitive to lactose — we cut dairy out for the most part after the first week, and he did better after that, but it’s hard to know if it was truly the dairy that was problematic or if his body just hadn’t adjusted yet to ALL of the new foods.

Liam also has a bit of a mischievous streak — which isn’t a bad thing, but he does sometimes need help redirecting some of his energy to a more positive activity. I did see improvement throughout his time here with his ability to be redirected, and discipline-wise, short “time-ins” where we sat together quietly on the floor were very effective.

Liam is able to dress himself independently for the most part — he just needs a little help sometimes putting his shirt on and with buttons. He loves to wear button-down shirts! He enjoys brushing his teeth, though he needs a little assistance to make sure he reaches all his teeth. He loves to comb his hair!

Liam is currently still in diapers/pull-ups but recognizes when he needs changed, so I think with a little time and practice, he could learn to use the toilet. He did very well at bedtime — he usually needed me to stay with him until he fell asleep, but generally he fell asleep within 10-20 minutes and he slept well through the night the majority of the time.

If you would like more information about Liam, please contact his host mom.