The Need for Sibling Support

The Need for Sibling Support

When children are diagnosed with a serious illness, parents and guardians, in addition to organizations like New Hope for Kids, do everything within their power to assist the child to try to make their struggle just a little less painful. Coping with a serious illness can bring on both challenges within a family, as well as opportunities. One area that often gets overlooked is the need for sibling support. This need can be looked at from two very different, yet both equally important, viewpoints. First, siblings provide valuable, much needed support and reassurance to the child with the illness in many important ways. Second, the need for an outlet for siblings to voice their concerns and build stronger relationships with both family and friends is beneficial to them, as it can provide higher self-esteem and assist them in achieving their goals.