Challenges and Benefits of Having a Sibling with Special Needs
by Sarah Lyons
Having a sibling with special needs is a unique experience that provides both challenges and benefits. While there is no doubt that they love their sibling with special needs, the feelings that can arise during childhood are often complicated. The love, appreciation and compassion they feel toward their sibling can be mixed up with jealousy, worry, resentment, fear, responsibility and anger. Parents who are in tune to their children’s feelings can help them work through the negative emotions and turn these
challenges into benefits.
CHALLENGE
Insensitivity of Others
Kids with special needs are often the target of teasing. Kids and adults who don’t understand other people’s differences may make insensitive comments, ask inappropriate questions or make fun of someone who is different from them. Siblings of special needs kids may feel the need to constantly stand up for their siblings or explain their situation to others. They may become the target of teasing themselves.
“One of the biggest challenges in growing up with my sister was watching her get laughed at,” said Justin Lyons, brother of Kara, who has cerebral palsy. Parents can help their kids work through this challenge by equipping them with the right answers for those awkward questions and teaching them how to handle bullying in an appropriate way.
BENEFIT
Development of Dependability, Loyalty and Compassion
After years of watching someone they love get teased, siblings of special needs kids will naturally develop a strong sense of loyalty to those they care about as well as strong compassion towards others. Kids who grow up in a home with a special needs sibling typically become dependable, compassionate and loyal adults. Watching Kara get teased was hard for Justin.
“I think it made me less likely to laugh at or tease other people,” he said.
CHALLENGE
Jealousy
Parents do their best to treat their children fairly and spend equal amounts of time caring for each child. When you have a child with developmental delays or significant medical needs that balance can become difficult to achieve and jealousy can develop. Kids may feel they get less attention or that their parents spend more time caring for the special-needs sibling. When these feelings develop it is common for kids to feel guilty for having these thoughts, causing them to be more upset and resentful.
As a parent, try to be understanding and patient about your child’s jealous feelings. Talking it through and having someone listen and take them seriously will help your child feel loved and included. If possible and appropriate, include your child in caring for the sibling.
BENEFIT
Self Control and Thoughtfulness
It is important to remember that sibling rivalry and feelings of jealousy are normal in any sibling relationship. As your child learns to wait for their parent to be free to help them, they will learn patience and self control. They will also learn to put others’ needs before their own.
CHALLENGE
Worry and Fear
When children are around a sibling with serious medical challenges, lowered immunity or special needs, they may worry about the health of their sibling. They may not be able to express their feelings the same way an adult would. Kids may act out, become overly emotional, or appear aloof to what is going on around them.
Parents can help kids by being honest about health concerns in an age-appropriate way. By including your child in this discussion, you can reduce their fear of the unknown and reassure them as well.
BENEFIT
Develop Compassion and Empathy for Others
Kids who are exposed to someone with medical and developmental challenges naturally become more compassionate and empathetic to those who may have their own struggles.
“I attribute my sense of understanding and compassion to growing up with my sister,” said Michelle Hupp, sister to Felicia, an adult with Down Syndrome.
CHALLENGE
Complicated and Mixed Feelings
Kids have a variety of feelings related to their sibling with special needs. Some kids may feel pressure to “live up” to their parents’ expectations for themselves and for the sibling that may never reach certain milestones. Kids may also feel resentment, anger, frustration, or like they are “missing out” on activities or experiences because their sibling’s care puts restrictions on certain activities.
“Siblings often feel guilty about any negative feeling such as jealousy,” said Hupp. “The rewards more than outweigh the negatives, but sometimes the negatives are hard to talk about.”
None of these feelings are fun to talk about and often result in guilt. This can cause the child to feel more resentment toward the special-needs sibling because they have these negative feelings. Some of these feelings may be difficult to overcome, and a parent may not know what their child is feeling or how to deal with them.
If you think these feelings are becoming a problem, consider seeking professional help to support your child’s development in a healthy way and encourage an appropriate relationship between your children.
BENEFIT
Positive Characteristics Develop
Siblings of special needs children develop a wide variety of wonderful characteristics from their experience, including kindness, patience, compassion, acceptance of differences, helpfulness and empathy. All of these qualities are valued in our society.
Being a sibling of a special needs person is a unique and sometimes challenging experience but most people will tell you they have benefited from the experience. As a parent it helps to think of the long term benefits and help your child shape their challenges into successes.
