How do you respond when you learn you have a special needs child?
In this episode, I talk with Paul and Maria Muzichuk as they share about what God has done for them during this season of life with a special needs child.
Paul was born in the Ukraine and moved to the United States with his family when he was 4 years old. Maria was born in Estonia and her family moved to the United States while she was young. Both were raised in Christian homes and met at a Bible College on the West Coast in 2004 and were married in August of 2006. They have 4 children, two girls and 2 boys, ages 13, 10, 5 and 2 1/2 years old.
Both Paul and Maria have a heart for mentoring and counseling. They lead the Arise Biblical Counseling at the Springs Church in Jacksonville, Florida, which they started in 2018.
They both had spiritual mentors that poured into their lives as teenagers and young adults that have helped drive their passion to help others dealing with personal, marriage, mental, emotional and spiritual struggles.
Nathan is their third child and he is 5 years old. At around 2 years old Maria began to notice that Nathan wasn't developing as the older children had at the same age and wasn't talking much either. A worker in the church even noticed that he had minimal interaction with other children in the nursery and mentioned to them that Nathan may have a form of Autism.
When Nathan was around Three and a half years old, Paul and Maria took him for analysis at a place called Childfind, which after a year and a half, said Nathan had a speech delay and possible autism.
In August of 2020, Paul and Maria took Nathan to the University of Florida Pediatric Neuro-Developmental Facility where they performed an extensive testing for 9 months and was then diagnosed with Global Development Delay and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
During the testing they were told that Nathan was having 800 screaming or squealing episodes during a 7 hour period, making it difficult for them to take him places. In November of 2020, Nathan started ABA Therapy working on different cognitive and motor skills and the screaming and squealing episodes dropped down to 10-15 episodes during a 7 hour period.
Paul and Maria talk about how they each individually and as a couple and family sought help through each other, mentors, pastors, family and friends. They talked about have even in moments of questioning and fear, they turned to God and allowed Him to speak and share how even in these moments God has a purpose and plan for each of His children, even those with Special Needs.
This has helped then as counselors to be more authentic and open with those that are counseling and understand the struggles and pain they are going through also.