Brothers and sisters of young children with communication disorders

Family-centered approaches have revolutionized the way that clinicians provide services to young children with communication disorders and their families. With greater recognition of the significant impact that siblings have on each other's development and the potential stress and role confusion that siblings may experience when there is childhood disability in the family, it becomes more critical that the needs of siblings are considered and addressed. In this article, a variety of issues are considered relative to siblings' experiences. First, the roles of siblings and their effects on each other's development is reviewed, followed by a historical perspective of the impact of childhood disability on brothers and sisters. Next, sibling roles relative to a brother or sister with a communication disability are considered. Finally, clinical implications are discussed, with specific reference to active inclusion of siblings in family-centered assessment and intervention efforts.