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IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF IOWA No. 1-922 / 11-1598 Filed December 7, 2011 IN THE INTEREST OF G.K., Minor Child, M.C. and G.C., Grandparents, Appellants. ________________________________________________________________ Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Scott County, John G. Mullen, District Associate Judge.

The grandparents/guardians for a minor child appeal a juvenile court order denying their petition to terminate parental rights. AFFIRMED.

Jack E. Dusthimer, Davenport, for appellants. Thomas J. Miller, Attorney General, Kathrine S. Miller-Todd, Assistant Attorney General, Michael Walton, County Attorney, and Julie A. Walton, Assistant County Attorney, for appellee-State. Carrie E. Coyle, Davenport, for appellee-father. Stephen W. Newport, Davenport, for appellee-mother. Rebecca Ruggero, Bettendorf, attorney and guardian ad litem for minor child.

Considered by Danilson, P.J., and Tabor and Mullins, JJ.

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MULLINS, J. The maternal grandparents of G.K., who also serve as the child's guardians, appeal a juvenile court order denying their petition to terminate parental rights. Upon our de novo review, we affirm. See In re C.B., 611 N.W.2d 489, 492 (Iowa 2000) (reviewing termination proceedings de novo). G.K. was born in March 2003. G.K. is a special needs child due to

seizures, cerebral palsy, diabetes insipidus, and mild mental retardation. His condition necessitates consistency in medication and in following a prescribed regimen of care. On March 3, 2008, G.K. was removed from parental care due to concerns over the parents' ability to meet his significant medical needs as well as concerns of domestic violence and prescription drug abuse by the mother.1 G.K. was placed in the custody of his maternal grandparents. The parents subsequently stipulated to G.K. being adjudicated a child in need of assistance under Iowa Code sections 232.2(6)(c)(2) and (e) (2007). On April 23, 2009, the juvenile court established permanency by creating a guardianship for G.K. under the maternal grandparents' custody and care. At this time, the juvenile court refused to terminate the parents' parental rights citing the importance of the emotional bond between the parents and G.K. and the recognition that the parents were an important emotional resource for the child. Following the first annual review of the guardianship in May 2010, see Iowa Code

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