• Replies 1 reply
  • Subscribers 5 subscribers
  • Views 449 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Siblings sensitivity to kids with austism spectrum disorder (ASD)

NAS85215

Hello

My youngest (7) son has ASD. He is generally nice and playful and kind. But sometimes he does things that annoy his older brother and sister. They are 15 and 17, so naturally stressed with their study/class. Now they find very little time to engage with their little brother and he feels sad they don't play with him. Sometimes when my son does silly things i feel my older kids react to him harshly and get annoyed with him. I understand that my son does not act his age as he also has global development delay, so he acts more like a 3/4 year old kids, gets upset easily. I was wondering how can i help his older siblings to be more sensitive and understanding towards him. Is there any course /training that i can avail so they understand their little brother is different. I have heard that some siblings get training on how to deal with their special needs siblings.

  • I don't think training is going to help here, teenagers will likely feel patronised if you go that route especially because they are at an age where they feel the need to set their own boundaries and naturally won't want to play with a child less than half their age. They need to be told that they are allowed to have those boundaries but must also remember to be kind to their younger sibling. That yelling at him is not acceptable. And your youngest son needs to be sat down and explained that wanting to do their own thing doesn't mean they love him any less, because he will be more prone to rejection, both real and simply perceived, so you must shore up his self esteem and give him the tools to cope with that, because it won't just be the older brother and sister he'll get it from but other kids and even teens and adults as he ages into an adult with ASC. Consent also is important for non sexual relationships, like familial or friendships so now is also a good age to explain to your son that no means no in general too. That will help to maintain the healthy boundaries his siblings want to set up and help him to set up his own boundaries with others in the future.