I wasn't able to get the second link to load, I will try again later. But I do have to say that Skylar's older sister Zoe is definitely "super-sibling" she is like a little mother-hen when it comes to her brother.
Thanks for the links, I always find your links so interesting and very informative.
The article in the second link is called "Her Autistic Brothers" dated February 18, 2007. The link worked for me, but it might require that you're registered by the NY Times.
If the link still doesn't work for you, you might be able to access the article by googling the title.
I'm consolidating a few articles here, so I don't have to search for them every time I need them.
Articles:
http://www.autismtoday.com/wnsiblings.htm - an interview with Sandra L. Harris, who has written a book called "Siblings of Children with Autism." Good interview, short, very down-to-earth.
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article948355 .ece - heartwarming story about 12 year old twin boys, one with ASD, the other NT.
http://www.autismathomeseries.com/941.html - article written by a father (Bill Davis).
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/magazine/18autistic.t.html ?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ei=5087%0A&em&en=2e3eb3c3 ad9e1652&ex=1171947600 - "Her Autistic Brothers." This NY Times article is about a 14 year old girl who has 16 year old twin autistic brothers. It also talks about siblings in general, for example that some become "supersiblings" and some have behavioral/emotional problems themselves, but that most are somewhere in between. The article also includes excerpts from a "sibshop" sibling support group -- one of the participants was only 6, which surprised me.
http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/family/SibPerspect.html - "Sibling perspectives: Some Guidelines for Parents". Includes an easy-to-read list of 12 important needs of siblings and how to address these needs.
http://www.autism.org/sibling/sibneeds.html - "Sibling Needs: Helpful information for parents"
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1698128-1,00. html - Here's an easy-to-read article from Time magazine called "Autistic Kids: The Sibling Problem" written by an autism mom.
http://www.acd.org.au/siblings/content/Supporting_Siblings.p df. On-line book for parents. (Association for Children with a Disability, Armadale, Victoria, Australia)
http://www.autism.ca/siblings.pdf. On-line article for parents. (Society for the Treatment of Autism, Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
http://www.autismlink.com/info/sibling.php. Short article for parents. (AutismLink, Pennsylvania)
http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/family/siblingbib.html list of journal articles and books
http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-how-do-sibling s-affect-autistic-kids - a review of the research in this area.
Videos:
http://www.childnett.tv/videos/stories/other_child - An excellent online video on the subject of siblings, with interviews of child and adult-aged siblings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bMg-dGzVeU - 9 minute preview of the documentary "The Sandwich Kid" featuring a 12 year old whose older brother has autism. He talks to other siblings of special needs kids.
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2768a73c40 062ca8eda7 - Here's a video where two teenagers are interviewed (a boy and a girl). Each has a sibling with autism.
Kid stuff:
http://www.helpautismnow.com/?page_id=97 - "Autism: Living with my brother Tiger", a wonderful illustrated book, online version.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/MyBrotherHasAutism.pdf - "My brother has autism"
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15359&am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;PN=1&TPN=1 - more stuff for teaching kids about autism, not specifically directed towards siblings.
http://www.frainc.org/newsletter.htm - two online quarterly newsletters written for siblings of disabled kids (not just autism). "For siblings only" is intended for the 4-9 age group, and "Sibling forum" is intended for kids age 10 and up.
Anyone have any resources to add?
These free online resources were added to the main list above. They were taken from a list that included journal articles and books.
http://www.acd.org.au/siblings/content/Supporting_Siblings.p df. On-line book for parents.
(Association for Children with a Disability, Armadale, Victoria, Australia)
http://www.autism.ca/siblings.pdf. On-line article for parents.
(Society for the Treatment of Autism, Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
http://www.autismlink.com/info/sibling.php. Short article for parents.
(AutismLink, Pennsylvania)
See the whole list here:
http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/family/siblingbib.html
And here are two online quarterly newsletters written for siblings. I added them to the main list above.
"For siblings only" is intended for the 4-9 age group, and "Sibling forum" is intended for kids age 10 and up:
http://www.frainc.org/newsletter.htm
I also added the following to my main list above.
Here's an easy-to-read article from Time magazine called "Autistic Kids: The Sibling Problem" written by an autism mom. She lists seven challenges for siblings -- and suggests some solutions:
1) Why won't he play with me?
2) It's not fair!
3) I'm scared!
4) He's so embarrassing!
5) I feel like the parent.
6) The holidays
7) In adulthood, the sibs will become "parents"
Read the whole article here:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1698128-1,00. html
Added to my main list above -- here's a video where two teenagers are interviewed (a boy and a girl). Each has a sibling with autism.
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2768a73c40 062ca8eda7
Today I added this wonderful resource to my list above:
http://www.helpautismnow.com/?page_id=97 - "Autism: Living with my brother Tiger", a wonderful illustrated book, online version.
There's an autism short film repeatedly airing on the Disney Channel, called "The time I realized my brother was different." It features a 13 year old girl and her 15 year old brother with autism. Read about it here:
Here's a new book on the subject: "Boy Alone: A Brother's Memoir" by Karl Taro Greenfeld.
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061136665/Boy_Alone/i ndex.aspx
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1898322-3,0 0.html
Today I read a good Norwegian article on siblings. It made a great point that these kids are in many ways bicultural, in the same way that immigrant kids are bicultural.
Autism is central to the home culture, while the culture elsewhere in the country is pretty much oblivious to autism.
It's not so bad to be bicultural, as long as the two cultures don't meet. The problems arise when the two cultures meet -- like when friends come to visit, or when you go to the same school as your sibling with autism.
Food for thought.
I loved the Living with my brother, Tiger book. I think I will share it with my NT daughter when she gets a bit older.
My daughters both read "rules"
It is a great story written from the point of view of an older sister to a 8 yr old on the spectrum.
I was a fun read and it allowed us to discuss the possible future of my son in a lighthearted but realistic fashion.
New book from National Autistic Society in England, "I'm a teenager... get me out of here!". It's written especially for teens who have a sibling with autism.
http://www.autism.org.uk/en-GB/Products/Core-NAS-publication s/Im-a-teenager.aspx
See a four-page excerpt here:
They also have a book for young siblings "My family is different" (age 5-8)
http://www.autism.org.uk/Products/Core-NAS-publications/My-F amily-is-Different.aspx
From the ASA:
Actress Holly Robinson Peete, together with her NT daughter, wrote a new book called "My Brother Charlie."
Summary of information from 5 teens/young adults who have siblings with autism: