Being a sibling can be complicated and challenging. Many siblings grow up not knowing there are other people out there with similar experiences, but it can really help to know that you’re not alone. In this section, adult siblings share their stories of life with their disabled brother or sister.
Pam: “I believe that visual art, along with other art forms, can convey difficult to articulate feelings and emotions. What follows are images of my original artwork. Many of the artworks were intentionally created to visually convey some of the known issues faced by siblings of people with disabilities, for example: ‘the glass child’ idea, … Continued
Hellooo everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read this. My name is Emily, and I currently live in Brighton, around 125 miles from Suffolk, where my mum, dad, and sister, Kate, still live. I usually see my parents about once every three months and my sister about twice a year. Honestly, one of … Continued
Zach’s twin brother Reuben, is autistic and non-verbal. Reuben started to use an Augmentative Communication Device (ACD) but struggled to bond with the standardised voice that came with it. Zach offered his own voice, to make the device more personal. “I volunteered to do it because I think it’s very special for Ruben and very … Continued
From the ages of 1-6 years old, me & my twin brother were very close. Our sibling relationship began to decline rapidly when he started experiencing autistic meltdowns and this impacted our relationship heavily. At the time, I was still young and unable to understand what autism was, with adults around me too weary to … Continued
Olly and I were born twenty years ago. We are identical in every way until he was diagnosed with autism, learning difficulties, and ADHD. This has led to us having different life plans from the start: I am destined to care for Olly all my life, while Olly is destined to be cared for. Olly … Continued
Ewen is my big brother and he has consumed my life from the moment I entered this complex world. I never recall questioning why Ewen didn’t talk, nor why we couldn’t attend the family meet-up or neighbour’s birthday party. My pride for my brother has always been in great abundance, not leaving any space for … Continued
‘Glass child’ Apparently I am a glass child, We don’t have any problems and don’t make a fuss. We’re doing fine so don’t worry about us. Yet in truth every day I felt guilty as my life rolled on. With my school, my friends, my hobbies…while for you there were none. I sensed … Continued
The thing about being a sibling to someone with a lifelong disability is that it is very difficult to know how you feel about it. The depth of emotions are never linear and only as an adult have I realised the significance of what this has meant, how it has shaped me, and how it … Continued
It is difficult to talk about the realities of being a sibling without feeling I am doing my parents an injustice for the incredible job they did raising us. Ultimately, however, no amount of love can ease the pain of experiencing just how cruel the world has the potential to be that young. … Continued
I am a twenty-year-old who has a disabled sister who is now twenty-one. They received an autism diagnosis at birth. Growing up with my disabled sister certainly had ups and downs. On reflection, a feeling of volatility stands out: you would never really know how a day would go. Many days were happy such as … Continued
Would you like to help other siblings by sharing your own story? Please get in touch.