How Do Siblings Affect Autistic Kids?
By Teresa J. Foden Putting Our Heads Together As some autism researchers pore over brain MRIs in labs and other researchers closely observe children in natural play settings, noting in micro-detail every element of every interaction, and as parents scour the landscape of cyberspace for the latest and greatest in treatment methods, many an eye is turning to the role of siblings. The sibling bond is a key component of the developing personality of children, and there is research showing that this holds true when one of the children has a disability. However, there is considerable debate about how this relationship molds the typically developing siblings and the children with autism alike, and whether this sibling effect is positive or negative.
