Brother has very severe autism - can anyone relate?

My brother is nonverbal, lives in residential care and his behaviour is, and has always been, very challenging. I'd love to meet other siblings with similar experiences but I don't know how to find them. There seem to be lots of threads about Asperger's syndrome but very few about classic/severe/Kanner's autism. Conversations about school, work and friendships usually just make me sad, because they're things he'll never be able to experience.

Parents

  • My brother is nonverbal, lives in residential care and his behaviour is, and has always been, very challenging. I'd love to meet other siblings with similar experiences but I don't know how to find them. There seem to be lots of threads about Asperger's syndrome but very few about classic/severe/Kanner's autism. Conversations about school, work and friendships usually just make me sad, because they're things he'll never be able to experience.

    Be careful not to miss your actual brother's character whilst your missing him not sharing in your aspirations perhaps. If you consider more what your brother's aspirations and inclinations really are, and you are not adverse to using Facebook or even have an account, there is a Facebook Group going by the name of 'Support Group for Siblings of Autism and Special Needs' ~ whose membership numbers some 500 odd that you may very well find a great deal in common with, and this is their link:


    www.facebook.com/.../


    There is also a fair number of other links if you do a copy and paste and search engine job with the bold text above, if that helps any?

    And of course ~ don't be a stranger! :-) 


Reply

  • My brother is nonverbal, lives in residential care and his behaviour is, and has always been, very challenging. I'd love to meet other siblings with similar experiences but I don't know how to find them. There seem to be lots of threads about Asperger's syndrome but very few about classic/severe/Kanner's autism. Conversations about school, work and friendships usually just make me sad, because they're things he'll never be able to experience.

    Be careful not to miss your actual brother's character whilst your missing him not sharing in your aspirations perhaps. If you consider more what your brother's aspirations and inclinations really are, and you are not adverse to using Facebook or even have an account, there is a Facebook Group going by the name of 'Support Group for Siblings of Autism and Special Needs' ~ whose membership numbers some 500 odd that you may very well find a great deal in common with, and this is their link:


    www.facebook.com/.../


    There is also a fair number of other links if you do a copy and paste and search engine job with the bold text above, if that helps any?

    And of course ~ don't be a stranger! :-) 


Children
  • Thanks for trying to help, but your first two sentences suggest that your experience is very different to mine. My brother's "aspirations and inclinations" are to stay in bed all day and bite anyone who comes near. My family and I have done and are still doing absolutely everything possible to care for and support him. Right now I'm just looking to connect with someone who gets it.