Siblings

My name is Stephen and I’m a 14-year-old boy living with a sister who suffers from autism and ADHD.  Life is very hard having a sister with special needs – it’s all about Lorna. 

The mornings are always a struggle in our house, as it’s Lorna’s way or no way. She dictates when she gets up, how she gets washed, and even the way I eat my breakfast. If I go against Lorna in the slightest way, all hell will break loose. 

ScienceDaily (Mar. 8, 2010) — A new study suggests a trend toward developing hyperactivity among typically developing elementary-school-aged siblings of autistic preschoolers and supports the notion that mothers of young, autistic children experience more depression and stress than mothers with typically developing children.

My name is Doireann O’Brien. I am a postgraduate student in the School of Education, Queens University Belfast. I am studying an MSc in Autistic Spectrum Disorders. My dissertation project will be an examination of the perception and experience of parents/siblings of people who have been diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The choice for this project reflects my own experience as a sibling of a person with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and the lack of research in this important area.

This booklet includes chapters on:

1. Understanding My Sibling’s Disability
2. My Perspective as a Sibling
3. Developmental Stages
4. Talking to Mom and Dad
5. Strategies for Developing Positive Relationships
6. Activities to Encourage Communication
7. Super Parent – Exit Stage Left

[Society for Treatment of ASD, Calgary, 2002: http://www.sta-ab.com ]