Supporting Siblings is a Family Affair: Thoughts From an Insider to Help Guide the Conversation for Best Outcome

• By: Suzanne Muench, MSS, LCSW Mary Jane Weiss, PhD, BCBA-D Melmark
• October 1st, 2020
• adults, caretaking, children, fall 2020 issue, family, future planning, open communication, personal experience, responsibility, siblings, transition
• 4627    1

The impact of having a child with a disability extends far beyond that individual and impacts the parents and siblings over the course of the family’s lifetime (Harris & Glasberg, 2003: Powell & Ogle, 1985). Developmental disabilities are certainly not universal in how they impact the...

Sheltering at Home with My Brother Douglas During COVID-19

• By: Gerri Zatlow Siblings for Significant Change
• October 1st, 2020
• adults, caregiving, COVID-19, fall 2020 issue, family, fear, love, responsibility, siblings
• 3959    0

After the death of my mother I became my brother Douglas’ legal guardian and sole relative who would advocate for, protect and welcome him every weekend and holiday. The only time he was not able to come to me was when there was an epic snowstorm preventing travel, when I was sick, injured and or...

Talking to Siblings About ASD

• By: Julie M. Wolf, PhD Yale Child Study Center
• October 1st, 2020
• adolescents, children, communication, diagnosis, fall 2020 issue, family, feelings, siblings
• 4425    1

Siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have unique needs and may have a range of feelings, both positive and negative, about their experience with their brother or sister with ASD. They may be reluctant to share these feelings with parents due to feelings of guilt (Opperman &...

Guidelines for Parents on Addressing the Needs of Siblings

• By: Marci Wheeler, MSW Indiana Resource Center for Autism, Indiana University – Bloomington
• October 1st, 2020
• fall 2020 issue, family, parenting, parents, relationships, resources, siblings, stress
• 7436    0

There is little doubt that those of us raised with siblings have been influenced by that relationship. Living with a brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder adds more significant and unique experiences to that relationship. Throughout numerous accounts of parents and siblings of children...

Adult Sibling Support

• By: Amy Halm, MSW, LCSW Sibling Leadership Network
• October 1st, 2020
• adults, aging parents, caregiving, fall 2020 issue, family, future planning, peer support, resources, siblings
• 8247    2

Siblings often have the longest-lasting relationships of their lives with each other. With this lifelong connection, siblings have a great opportunity to support each other. In families where a person has a disability, the roles that siblings play may be different – not only in childhood and...

Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Home: How to Thrive as a Family Unit

• By: Sheila Simchon, LSP, LCSW Samantha Curiale-Feinman, MSEd, TSHH New Frontiers Executive Function Coaching
• October 1st, 2020
• best practices, challenging behavior, fall 2020 issue, family, mindfulness, neurodiversity, self-care, siblings, support groups
• 4375    0

Various research studies have shown that early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is important for providing the tools and strategies needed for long term success in areas such as education, career, and life in general (McEachin, Smith, & Lovaas, 1993). It is...

How to Best Support Siblings of Individuals with ASD

• By: Amy B. McCoy, MS Ed Little Big Sister Books, LLC
• October 1st, 2020
• communication, expressing feelings, fall 2020 issue, family, isolation, parenting, parents, resentment, siblings, socializing, support groups
• 6688    0

Typically developing siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a unique set of needs that often go overlooked and unnoticed. These needs are generally social and emotional in nature and can affect siblings at any age during their lifespan. When one family member has a...

Siblings Realize They’re Not Alone: AHRC NYC Sibshops Unveil Common Challenges

• By: Lynn Uhlfelder Berman AHRC New York City
• October 1st, 2020
• fall 2020 issue, family, jealousy, siblings, Sibshops, support
• 3432    1

Lori Jacobs recalled a conversation with her younger son Seth, whose brother Ian has high-functioning autism and mood disorders. “Seth said, ‘Promise me I won’t have to take care of him when I grow up. And please, promise me you have a plan for him,’” Lori said. This wasn’t the type...

Neurodiversity and Sibling Relationships

• By: Heidi Hillman, PhD, BCBA-D, LMHC Eastern Washington University
• October 1st, 2020
• actually autistic, compassion, fall 2020 issue, family, interactions, interventions, neurodiversity, relationships, siblings, strengths-based perspective
• 11573    1

Having a child with an autism spectrum disorder has a transformative effect on the entire family. Typically, when a child is diagnosed with autism, parents embark on a mission to find effective treatments and support systems. However, during treatment planning neurotypical siblings are often...

Siblings: Common Concerns and Effective Support Strategies

• By: Emily Holl, MFA, LMSW Sibling Support Project
• October 1st, 2020
• communication, fall 2020 issue, family, feelings, future planning, guilt, isolation, loss, resentment, siblings, support
• 6218    1

Like parents of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), siblings experience unique concerns and opportunities. The sibling relationship can easily exceed six decades, and siblings face these issues for even longer than parents. Historically, siblings have had few opportunities to receive...