Supporting the Siblings of Children with Disabilities

There is nothing quite like having a sibling. From arguments over toys and bathroom time to presenting a unified front to the world, a sibling makes life fun, challenging, and interesting. However, being a sibling to a child with a disability comes with its own sets of complications and rewards. Understanding and helping a child navigate this potentially rough territory is imperative to foster healthy and strong relationships throughout the family.

The first step is to allow a child to express their emotions. It can be awkward for a child to express their emotions to friends and teachers, but allowing a safe space for those thoughts and feelings to be communicated is essential. Regardless of being positive or negative, children need to be able to express themselves without fear of anger or backlash resulting from communication.

Setting high but achievable expectations are also important. Every child in a household should be...