Siblings of children with special needs routinely go unmentioned in research, despite the incredibly significant role they play in their sibling’s lives. This article provides a very well-rounded sibling perspective on the wonders of having a sibling with special needs and the hardships that these siblings face.
I am a strong believer in the idea that we need to treat the entire family system in order to gain the most comprehensive benefits. After reading this article, you will notice that their are certain commonly shared experiences that siblings report (specifically the sense of responsibility they feel).
I especially like the perspective given in sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 of this paper.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3420668/
Wow! Thanks for posting this. I can already see the characteristics in 3.2 in our 4 year old son. He seems to understand that his sister needs more than most. Love this!