Siblings of children with special needs experience an array of stressors and feelings that can increase their risk for significant emotional and behavioral problems with functional impairments. For example, they can feel anger, jealousy, or resentment if a brother or sister is parented differently or receives what appears to be preferential treatment. Anger and resentment may arise if a sibling is asked to help out with the child with a disability or take on extra household chores. Anger and resentment may arise because children with chronic conditions may require physical, occupational, speech, educational or medical interventions, which often appears as play, with the well child feeling left out. Parents may not have enough money to meet the needs or wants of the well child due to the extra expenses needed to meet the needs of the child with a disability. Moreover, parents often spend the lion’s share of their time with the disabled child, at the expense of the sibling.
Addressing these emotions and feelings in Family Therapy or Individual Therapy utilizing Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Narrative Therapy, etc, can help the well child understand the challenges and rewards that having a sibling with special needs and facilitate their adjustment to this lifetime relationship.