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Supporting Siblings is a Family Affair: Thoughts From an Insider to Help Guide the Conversation for Best Outcome
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...
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How to Best Support Siblings of Individuals with ASD
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...
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Preparing Children with ASD for New Siblings
Introducing a new baby is a wonderful, joyous time for a family. When preparing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for a new sibling, your approach may need to begin long before the new baby arrives. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5),...
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Programming for Multiple Siblings with ASD: Tips to Promote Family Success
Current data suggest that if a family has one child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the chance their second child will also have that diagnosis is 2-18% (Autism Speaks, 2020). If the family has two or more children with ASD, the risk their next child will also have ASD increases to 30% (The...
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How a Sibling Connection Inspired Advocacy and a Career
When I was nine years old, I became an advocate. We were out in public and a woman chastised my mom for being unable to control my younger brother, Joey. My blood started to boil and I was outraged by this woman’s lack of empathy. However, my mom handled the situation with poise and grace,...
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Autism Through a Different Lens: A Sibling’s Perspective
In my profession, I often write articles from a parent’s perspective about having an 18-year-old daughter (Annie) with severe autism, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. My overarching goal with these stories is to provide compassion, understanding and hope to families, caregivers...
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Siblings: Common Concerns and Effective Support Strategies
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...
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Neurodiversity and Sibling Relationships
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...
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Using Siblings as Peer Models During Telehealth Sessions
In the past few years, the use of telehealth services in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has grown substantially. Due to health concerns related to COVID-19 and social distancing recommendations, ABA providers now use telehealth more than ever to deliver services remotely. Telehealth...
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What Happens When One Twin Has Autism
When my twins were born prematurely on December 26th, 1990, nobody talked about autism. There was no internet and autism support groups did not yet exist. Caring for two premature babies was overwhelming enough, but the dawning recognition that our daughter Samantha was not developing at anything...
