Sadaf Siddiqi 

There’s no denying that parents of children with autism fight a tough battle – but what about their “typically developing” siblings? Some researchers believe that siblings of children with special needs often possess more patience than usual; however, ending up at this feat is not an easy journey for most of them. While counseling children living with a sibling with autism, I have found a few issues that commonly come up in conversation.

The word autism generally seems to cause a great deal of anxiety when mentioned. I find this to be particularly true of counselors who have not had the opportunity (or pleasure, in my opinion) to work with children on the autism spectrum. The latest and fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) has recently developed new criteria for evaluating autism. Regardless of the changes, I’ve found certain consistencies to be beneficial in the counseling process when working with this population.