Living with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs focuses on the intensity of emotions that brothers and sisters experience when they have a sibling with special needs, and the hard questions they ask: What caused my sibling�s disability? Could my own child have a disability as well? What will happen to my brother or sister if my parents die? Written for young readers, the book discusses specific disabilities in easy to understand terms. It talks about the good and not-so-good parts of having a brother or sister who has special needs, and offers suggestions for how to make life easier for everyone in the family. The book is a wonderful resource, not just for siblings and their parents but also for teachers and other professionals who work with children with special needs. This revised and updated edition includes new sections on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, fragile X syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, ultrasound, speech therapy, recent legislation on disabilities, and an extensive bibliography.

Special Brothers and Sisters is a collection of real-life accounts from the brothers and sisters of children with special needs, disability or serious illness, ranging in age from 3 to 18 years. They explain, in their own words, what it's like to live with their siblings. There is a lot of advice available for parents of a child with a disability or illness, but very little about the important issue of educating their siblings about how they feel, and why they may behave differently from other children. These stories - from 40 different families - come with related tips to help siblings deal with some of the things that happen in their family lives. The book also provides a helpful glossary to explain, in child-friendly language, the disabilities and medical conditions mentioned, including: * ADHD * autism * cerebral palsy * cystic fibrosis * Down syndrome Special Brothers and Sisters is an engaging and educational collection that will enable young people and adults to share in the extraordinary experience of being a sibling of a child with special needs, a disability or serious illness.

When there's a disabled child in the family, how are normally developing siblings affected? According to Kate Strohm, a counselor and health educator, siblings of the disabled face particular emotional challenges that are often overlooked. Able siblings commonly struggle with feelings of isolation, grief, anger, and anxiety—and these and other emotional issues can have lifelong effects. Being the Other One is based on the author's own experience (as a sibling of a sister with cerebral palsy) and on extensive interviews she conducted with siblings of all ages. In clear and compassionate terms, Strohm explores the often secret feelings of siblings and offers valuable strategies for coping with the challenges they face. Being the Other One reveals the difficulties faced by siblings at all stages of life, from early childhood through adulthood, when siblings must often assume responsibility for the care of their disabled brothers and sisters. Though the book looks honestly at the many challenges that siblings face, it is full of encouragement and practical strategies. Strohm emphasizes that when siblings are able to clearly identify and openly express their feelings and concerns—and when parents and health professionals offer the needed support—siblings can thrive. This book includes writing exercises for personal exploration and a substantial resources section listing helpful books, organizations, and websites.

Children learn some of their earliest lessons about sharing, competition, and compromise through negotiations with their siblings. As early as age 3, children can recognize special problems their brother or sister has due to a developmental disability or chronic illness. "Brothers, sisters, and special needs" shows professionals and parents how they can help a child's understanding of disability or chronic illness develop in a healthy, adaptive direction during the preschool and elementary school years. This explicit curriculum and activity guide, designed especially for children ages 3 to 8, sets up a series of fun work-shops to help siblings get to know their own personal strengths, recognize positive characteristics of their handicapped brother or sister and other family members, and learn ways of coping constructively with stressful family events. "Brothers, sisters, and special needs" will be of interest to professionals, early interventionists, parents, social workers, psychologists, and pediatricians

Examining the overlooked subject of non-disabled siblings in families where there is a disabled child, this book details the experiences of these children and explores what it means to them to have a disabled brother or sister. The author makes clear recommendations for future practice.

The siblings of children with special needs are often the overlooked ones in families struggling to cope. Kate Strohm is an experienced health professional and journalist who has sister with cerebral palsy. In this book she shares the story of her journey from confusion and distress to understanding and acceptance. She provides a forum for other siblings to describe their own journeys. Kate also provides strategies that siblings themselves, parents and practitioner can use to support the brothers and sisters of children with special.

Growing up with a sibling who has special needs can be hard. But it can also be... awesome! Based on the author's real-life experiences, this unique and touching children's book explores how siblings of kids with disabilities are special, too.