Siblings

Support for Parents - Siblings

Parents who have children with and without autism may struggle to balance each child’s individual needs. In order to foster acceptance and understanding, it is important for parents to inform children of their brother or sister’s condition and explain what it means to have an autism spectrum disorder. Even though a child may understand that their sibling has autism, it may be a source of stress. Several factors can contribute to stress in a sibling of an individual with autism, including:

·Feeling embarrassment around peers

·Experiencing jealousy about the amount of time parents spend with their brother or sister

·Feeling frustration over not being able to engage or the difficulty of building a relationship with their brother or sister

·Being the target of aggressive behaviors

·Attempting to compensate for the deficits of their brother or sister

·Being concerned about parents’ stress and grief

·Being concerned about their role in future caregiving for their sibling

Although there are many potential stressors, siblings usually cope well with their brother or sister’s condition when their parents continue to discuss autism and its potential consequences to them in a way they can understand.

Setting aside a dedicated time for each child helps all of the children in the family feel loved and attended to, while reinforcing the parent-child bond. It is essential that parents also help foster relationships among their children. Supporting the development of sibling relationships is imperative since individuals with ASD often have trouble building relationships or generating emotional connections with others.

These relationships become even more important if siblings decide to take on the role of primary caregiver as their parents age. This role should not be forced upon a sibling but accepted with sufficient understanding of autism and the needs of his or her brother or sister. Before a sibling is old enough to decide to take on such a role, it is crucial that parents do not place an unnecessary burden on them by assigning them to be caretakers or babysitters. Parents should remember that they are children too, and they deserve a fun and fulfilling childhood.

Resources for family support: