This study was nested in a larger cross-cultural, epidemiologic research project on family attitudes toward persons with DS. Within small study samples, they have been compared to controls and other populations, but they have not been asked directly: what is it like to have a sibling with DS? Through this study, we seek to gather their answers to this central question so that expectant parents-and their healthcare providers-can have more comprehensive information to aid in informed decision making. To date, no large quantitative studies have been done to characterize the collective feelings and perceptions of brothers and sisters who have siblings with DS. Further, brothers have also been found to assume just as much responsibility as sisters, when a sibling has DS. For those siblings who do take on additional responsibilities, they typically view this involvement as a positive engagement and not as a burden. Īs siblings age, many assume more caregiving roles in comparison to matched controls although, this action is not universal. Brothers and sisters reported that they had just as much self-worth and self-competence as compared to matched controls, leading the authors to conclude “that brothers and sisters of a child with DS do not seem to be penalized in their opportunities to participate in a normal childhood”. Parents of children with DS reported that their siblings had no more behavioral problems than those of matched controls, and, in other studies, parents did not report any significant differences in siblings’ social competence. Other researchers have observed similarities-rather than differences-between those siblings who have brothers and sisters with DS and those who do not. Children who have siblings with DS also have been observed to interact more with their brothers and sisters when compared to their counterparts who have siblings with autism. In comparison to having a sibling with autism, adult brothers and sisters of people with DS feel more understanding, trust, and respect for their siblings, describing their sibling relationship as more positive and less likely to impact their relationship with their parents.
When siblings of persons with DS were compared to matched controls, they reported more empathy and kindness toward their brothers and sisters and less conflict and more warmth in their relationship.
Having a brother or sister with DS may, in fact, have benefits, according to some research. Consensus and Study Groups maintain that all expectant couples should receive accurate, nonjudgmental, and current information about DS during counseling sessions, but the literature on sibling impact has been noticeably slim. When expectant parents receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS), they often ask: what impact will such a child will have on my other sons and daughters? Researchers from the Netherlands surveyed 71 women who had terminated a pregnancy based on prenatal findings of DS, and 73% of them decided that the “burden” would be “too heavy for other child”.
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