Special needs siblings

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  • December 1, 2016 at 3:23 pm
    mama_nickles
    Participant

    I have four kids, ages 9, almost 7, almost 5 and 15 months. My first, third and fourth are all currently receiving therapy for their sensory issues. My second is acting out a lot due to jealousy. I have talked to her about being content,thankful, etc and that therapy isn’t a “fun” thing though it can look that way. Any other thoughts? We do have one on one-time daily for her school stuff and she cooks with me weekly. I have reassured her about how much we love her! Any thoughts?

    December 1, 2016 at 7:57 pm
    mrsmccardell
    Participant

    I’ve had this happen in my house.  Depending upon the treatment at the time, I’d have my son join us (dd and me) in the therapy session.  When doing therapy at home he would either spin her chair and then she would spin him, hold flashcards, massage hands with massager, etc.  he eventually lost interest.  If we were out at a session I’d ask the therapist to include him if possible and they usually didn’t mind.

    In my experience, it hurts deeply to be the only one not affected by something everyone else is experiencing….even if it’s something bad.  I felt rejected and I think it goes deeper than being content.  It’s being a part of the family.  Does that make sense?

    December 1, 2016 at 10:18 pm
    totheskydear
    Participant

    Can Daddy take the kids to therapy sometimes while you go on a mother-daughter date?

    December 2, 2016 at 9:05 am
    Tristan
    Participant

    We include kids in therapy when we can. So when we’re working on speech with Samuel other kids join in the games. When we’re doing physical therapy with Mason other kids join in. This is our daily at home practice, not our going to the therapist weekly appointments. Those are done alone, I don’t bring other kids along.

    December 2, 2016 at 4:21 pm
    Wings2fly
    Participant

    Maybe she needs her own outside “class” to go to that is especially for her: music lessons, gymnastics, ballet, a sport, etc.

    December 2, 2016 at 4:45 pm
    sarah2106
    Participant

    I have one friend who has 2 out of 3 with medical needs (CF) and another who’s son is cancer free, but he battled cancer and has 2 siblings that are healthy. No matter how unpleasant it was/is the child left out feels left out of the family since so much revolves around the medical needs of the other child/children.

    Both said that one of the best ways to help is to get them involved as suggested. My boys needed speech therapy and my daugheter would get a bit jealous at times, but sometimes she was able to participate in the sessions and that made her day. It made her feel like part of it, and not left out.

    It is like when my DD broke her arm, and the boys wanted to break their arm. Even though she told them it was not fun and all the negative, they saw it as special attention. At the hospital my older boy (6 at the time) said he wanted to break his arm so he could get a stuffed animal like they gave my daughter, the nurse promptly returned with a stuffed animal for him 🙂

    It is hard feeling left out, especially when it is a sibling.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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