When Natasha and Zach were presented with the adoption profile for a little boy with cerebral palsy, Natasha immediately felt unqualified. She feared the many unknowns that came with cerebral palsy and worried that she wouldn’t be a good enough mom.

Neither Zach nor Natasha had a background in helping a child with a disability. They knew they would need to rely on the resources around them to transition their son Josiah into their family and to meet his needs. Josiah needed occupational and physical therapy at age 2, so they reached out to 321go Kids.

“We were wanting Josiah to have goals that he could meet with help, but eventually that he could do on his own,” shared Natasha. “We were hoping that Josiah would gain confidence and overcome obstacles that challenged him.”

Josiah had trouble expressing his needs and wants without having a major meltdown. As he began meeting with physical therapy assistant Diann, she noticed that he appreciated the opportunity to be creative.

“He loves obstacle courses, especially if he gets to help set them up,” Diann noted. “Josiah has lots of great ideas when it comes to setting up obstacle courses. Sometimes we would use almost every piece of equipment. It would take up the entire room!”

Over time, they began to see victories happening in his therapy sessions. He loves competition, and Diann would involve his mom and dad in competitions to test his skills.

“When he was younger, he loved cheering and clapping for his victories. He also responded well to rewards, such as getting to play with a favorite toy,” explained Diann.

Now Josiah has confidence to do things on his own with little or no help, and he can express what he needs without melting down. He is in the first grade and enjoys playing with his sister and brothers. Josiah recently graduated physical therapy with much celebration from family and the staff at 321go Kids. Natasha shares advice for other adoptive parents who need support with a child who has special needs.

“If your child has needs you are fearful about, getting the right team to help is something you need to consider,” she said. “For our family, 321go was the perfect team to help. Fear is no longer an obstacle, and the team at 321go was great to help our son meet his goals.”

Do you know an adoptive family who needs a partner in raising a child with a medical need? Tell them about 321go Kids!