ABSTRACT
Melinda’s parents adopted her when she was 18 months old. They had made the trip to Korea twice, the first time when Melinda was 12 months old. At that time she had been given up by her biological mother but was not legally available for adoption. For 6 months she had to wait in an orphanage that was overcrowded and understaffed before her new parents were allowed to return and take her back to the United States. Nothing was known about her history before the orphanage or why she had been given up by her biological mother. From the start, however, her adoptive mother, Karen, and father, Evan, had concerns. Melinda seemed depressed, was not crawling, had no language, and made little eye contact. They also noted that she would stare at objects for a long time, particularly objects that were spinning.
