Autism: How it affects the siblings

By: Daniela Vargas

People with Autism struggle with social and communication skills. It is a disorder that affects how they process information. By the age of 2 doctors can determine if your child has Autism. Autism is usually four times more common in men than in women. People with Autism go to therapy and practice to reduce some of their symptoms. Autism is difficult for the people who have it, as well as for their siblings

The siblings tend to have issues with their social and emotional skills. It is common to find that the siblings share some traits as their autistic sibling. This can happen through genetics. The siblings do not have it as strong as their autistic sibling, but there could be some developmental delays. It can also be hard for siblings to understand and they can get frustrated the way that their Autistic sibling acts. Children with Autism are very kind and caring and independent. When it comes to playtime their siblings might feel upset with the way they interact.

A good way to improve the relationship between siblings is to explain the nature of Autism to them at a young age what Autism is. As they grow older they will understand their sibling might react a bit differently to certain things. Also, don’t forget to pay attention to your children that don’t have Autism. It is common for parents to get very invested in their Autistic child and not give enough attention to their other children.

It is important to pay attention to all of your children and to focus all children’s social and emotion skills because they can have difficulties or have another underlying condition.

If you or someone you know is struggling with Autism please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Sources

https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/siblings-children-autism-social-emotional-problems/#:~:text=Siblings%20of%20autistic%20children%20are,other%20forms%20of%20developmental%20delay https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/autismhttps://raisingchildren.net.au/autism/communicating-relationships/family-relationships/siblings-asd

Image: https://www.forbes.com/sites/solrogers/2019/04/03/how-virtual-reality-can-help-those-with-autism/