Doctors Meeting Needs of Adopted Children

Dr. Elaine Schulte

When Eleanor Rybicki first came to the office of Elaine Schulte, MD, MPH, in August, she was a frail and tiny baby — so small she didn’t register on U.S. growth charts for her age group.

Joseph and Kimberly Rybicki, who adopted Eleanor from a Chinese orphanage, were nervous, but Dr. Schulte quickly put their fears to rest.
“Eleanor was malnourished and understimulated, both cognitively and physically,” Kimberly Rybicki said. “She could sit up, but just barely. She was not crawling, and it was clear that she had not spent much time on her stomach. Dr. Schulte was very helpful. Because of the experience she has had seeing these children over the years, she didn’t panic.”