Siblings with Autism
Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Autism in the Home and other Autism topics.
Siblings with Autism
Having a sibling can be complicated; they can be your best friend or your arch nemesis, or a combination of both. Having a sibling with autism can be doubly complicated - suddenly there are new challenges to navigate and questions to answer.
As a parent, it's important to remember that the neurotypical child should never feel responsible for the treatment, intervention, or care of a sibling with autism. They should also feel like their day, plans, and events are just as important. Time with each child, neurotypical or not, should be priority - this can feel chaotic, and at times impossible, but it will help the relationships of everyone in the family. It's also important to try to schedule time for everyone together - while a neurotypical child might not have anything in common with his brother or sister with autism, they should still spend time with their whole family as a group, so that all siblings are reminded that, autism or not, their relationship as siblings doesn't change.
