Teaching Kids Healthy Touch

Have you ever experienced a time when you are lonely or sad and a hug instantly changed your mood? Touch can bring about powerful emotion and is the first sensory system developed in a human being. Even newborn babies have a highly developed sense of touch.

When a baby is crying, the embrace by a caregiver brings instant warmth and comfort to the baby. Unique pathways are developed in the baby’s brain that teaches the baby about the warm touch by a loved caregiver to meet his/her needs. The child feels secure as he/she senses the touch of a caregiver. Massage is a great tool to help a baby relax and to build positive and loving parent-child bonding and communication. And as a child grows older, research shows that massage can still be used to increase confidence, emotional health, and concentration levels.

The children at Dew Drops come to us from state-run orphanages throughout China. They were abandoned at a young age and were born with complex medical needs. So just because they don’t have biological parents, does it mean that they miss out on the much needed comfort and touch every baby deserves? Of course not!

These small babies, no matter what congenital birth defect they have, can all experience the warm touch and massage of loving caregivers at Dew Drops. Even our little “butterfly baby” Ping, enjoys these special interactions with his caregiver. The smiling faces of the children, the raised small hands, or the fact that the baby sleeps well after a massage are all encouraging signs to the caregivers that their contact and interaction with each child is making a difference.

 

 
These older children, born with different medical needs, also enjoy the benefits of massage. The difference here is that the massage is focused on the back, head and arms. There are also different benefits and methods for massage between child and child, adult and child or even group massage sessions. For older children, massage teaches them about respect and encourages positive communication.

At Dew Drops, since 2018, we have been providing Infant & Toddler Massage to all the children receiving care with us. And we have seen plenty of benefits! Dew Drops now invites you and your family to also benefit from massage. Below are further details:

 

Outdoor Adventures!

Spring is a beautiful time of the year around the world! Most of us look eagerly for the blooming flowers in our neighborhoods and enjoy the sweet fragrance in the air. For the children at Dew Drops Little Flower, spring also means one more thing….it is finally warm enough so go outside! After months of eagerly looking out the window and asking if they can go out to play, it’s finally time!


This spring, we have a bunch of toddlers who are experiencing playing outside for the first time. Previously, they were too young to be able to actually walk themselves and so although they went outside before, they didn’t experience the joy of climbing up the stairs and sliding down! As you can imagine, they were a bit anxious about the unknown. But similar to most of their life so far, their loving nannies accompanied them through this new experience. It took a little coaxing but soon enough all the kids couldn’t stop playing!

Han was a little nervous to go down the slide by herself at first but after she did it with her nanny, she was all set! Look at how happy she is!

And of course, her nanny was waiting for her at the bottom of the slide when she came down herself for a big hug! 

Some kids like Xian didn’t need much convincing, he was even trying some tricks on the slide!

Di too was ready for all the slides!

Xia was a little nervous to go down himself, he kept pausing right at the top of the slide! But with a little encouragement from his buddy, Zhen, he gave it a try. And oh, how much fun it was!

After mastering the slide, Cong boldly walked over to the toy elephant. But as soon as he got on it, he was not sure what to make of it! 

And lastly, Xiao too needed a little help from his nanny at first before he was bold enough to go down the slide alone. 

What a morning of fun! Here at Dew Drops, we are honored to share in these precious children’s’ stories. We accompany them through more difficult parts of their life like when they are having surgery and we accompany them through the daily activities of play, eating and creating memories with friends!

Meet Ping!

Ping is a very special one-year-old little boy who has overcome a lot of obstacles in his short life and captured many hearts along the way. Ping has a rare congenital skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa. Additionally, he had a heart defect. Ping transferred to the Dew Drops Little Flower home in Beijing when he was three weeks old. When he was 5 months old, he had open heart surgery to correct a VSD and ASD (read story here). He has recovered extraordinarily well from surgery over the last several months. Ping’s skin remains a challenge especially as he becomes more and more active.

It is not anticipated that Ping will need any further surgeries. He is a little behind his typical peers developmentally, but considering his medical conditions, he is doing well. He has good head control, he can roll both directions and can sit with support. He can pivot and scoot around the floor and reach for and play with toys. Ping is interactive with his caregivers, smiles, babbles, follows simple verbal instructions, claps and waves.

This brave boy has a patience and perseverance that most people take years to acquire, if they ever do at all. Ping’s ever ready sweet smile even in the face of this difficult skin condition is an inspiration and example to everyone he comes into contact with. In his time with us he has charmed everyone he meets with his soulful eyes. 

It is very urgent that Ping finds a forever family as soon as possible. Ping has a complete adoption file. Ping’s only hope is to be adopted. And soon! He needs a loving family that can see past his medical issues to the sweet, loving little boy who needs what every child deserves; a family to call his own. If you or anyone you know would consider making Ping a part of your family and would like additional information on this incredible little guy, please put your agency in contact at adoption@littleflowerprojects.org

I have You

The celebration of the New Year in China is a family event. Parents, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, grandparents….they all come together to usher in the New Year. But for an abandoned child, these family members are unknown. They were given up for various reasons and live in an orphanage instead. But does losing one’s parents mean that everything is lost? The following stories explain why not.

Fei Fei was born with a heart defect and intracranial hemorrhage. He was found in the mountains on a cold winter day. The doctors were worried that his hemorrhage was too serious and that even if he survived, he would have brain damage. After surgery and specialized care, this boy who had frostbite and was given up on, is now a lively, smart, caring boy full of laughter! He even takes care of his younger sisters by giving them toys when they cry!


Zhan Zhan was born with Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal Fistula. After being abandoned, he entered the orphanage and was in and out of the hospital after repeated emergency operations. We finally met him when he was just over 5 months old, but he only weighed slightly over 4 pounds (2 kgs) and was severely malnourished. After many hospital visits and treatments, Zhan has come a long way from the weak, fragile boy we first met. He recently celebrated his 2nd birthday and is walking now, loves throwing balls and is a happy little guy!


Li Li was born with esophageal atresia and a heart defect. Her birth family left a long letter detailing the child’s complex medical needs and their helplessness. After a 12 hour travel day, we were able to bring Li to Beijing from her orphanage for emergency surgery. After a hard post-op period, she went back to the hospital for heart repair surgery. Today, Li is showing us the power of life. Just before the Spring Festival, she started to drink milk orally and is slowly weaning of her feeding tube. Way to go Li!


Cheng Cheng was born with anal atresia and low birth weight (2.1 kgs). He was abandoned at a “baby hatch”. We rushed him to Beijing on a 13 hour train for his chance at hope and life. Emergency surgery went smoothly and he started his road to heal. Today, he is a lively, healthy, loving boy who gets up to all kinds of mischief!


Lian Lian was born prematurely and with a hiatal hernia. After two operations, a G-tube was placed to ensure she was still receiving nutrients. When you held her, her little body seemed like it was weightless. Today, Lian no longer has a G-tube, she just took her first steps and she enjoys giving her nannies a kiss.


These children are just a few examples of children who are without their biological parents, but they are not alone in this world. They have love and warmth in their lives because of you. Their courage to fight for their life is unfailing. Their lives have changed course because of you. Their life is an example of the power of love. Laughter, warmth, hugs. These is the new normal for these children every day because of love. 

In China it’s said that on average in one life you will meet over 80,000 people. So we each have the possibility to impact 80,000 people! Join us in making change! One child at a time! Sign up to sponsor a child monthly for $30 and have a direct impact on a child – https://www.dewdropslittleflower.org/get-involved/sponsor-a-child/