The Benefits of Having a Sibling with Down Syndrome

The Benefits of Having a Sibling with Down Syndrome

Many people worry that having a sibling with Down Syndrome will be tough for their other kids. They may fear that having a little brother or sister with Down Syndrome will be stressful for their other kids, or that their other children will resent the extra care and attention a child with Down Syndrome may need. In fact, this concern is so prevalent that it’s one of the main things that affects how many parents make the decision to keep or terminate a pregnancy where trisomy 21 is detected.

​But how do siblings of kids with Down Syndrome actually feel? When asked, are brothers and sisters of a child with Down Syndrome affected negatively by their sibling…or positively?

Let's Find Out!

In 2011, Dr Brian Skotko and Dr Susan Levine surveyed 822 brothers and sisters of children with Down Syndrome. They asked a series of questions about their experience of their sibling, such as: ​

• Are you proud of your brother or sister with DS?
• Do you feel embarrassed by your brother or sister with DS when you are out?
• Do you wish you could trade your brother or sister with DS for a brother or sister that did not have DS?
• Do you feel your parents pay too much attention to your brother and sister with DS and not enough to you?
• Do you like to help your brother or sister with DS to learn new things?

Older siblings were also asked to respond yes or no to statements such as:

• I am a better person because of my brother or sister with DS.
• I feel my social life is worse off by having a brother or sister with DS.

• I plan to be involved with my brother or sister with DS when we are adults.

​Here were their answers:

• Are you proud of your brother or sister with DS? YES: 87%
• Do you feel embarrassed by your brother or sister with DS when you are out? NO: 91%
• Do you wish you could trade your brother or sister with DS for a brother or sister that did not have DS? NO: 96%
• Do you feel your parents pay too much attention to your brother and sister with DS and not enough to you? NO: 81%
• Do you like to help your brother or sister with DS to learn new things? YES: 81%
• I am a better person because of my brother or sister with DS. YES: 88% 
• I feel my social life is worse off by having a brother or sister with DS. NO: 95%
• I plan to be involved with my brother or sister with DS when we are adults. YES: 93%

​

These are pretty fantastic numbers, especially when you consider that posing these same questions to any average family without a sibling with DS would be very unlikely to have such glowing results!
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And this is not the only study that shows that children who have siblings with DS get a positive benefit - other studies suggest that siblings of children with DS show increased levels of empathy, kindness, and tolerance for differences.

​This is all good news for parents of infants with Down Syndrome who are not sure how this new little being will affect their family!

​Though some of the medical concerns for kids with DS can definitely be challenging, most families, siblings included, see their new family member as a blessing in their lives

Read More About It!

Studies and Articles:

• Having a Brother or Sister With Down Syndrome: Perspectives From Siblings 
• What the Other Children Are Thinking: Brothers and Sisters of Persons With Down Syndrome
  

Books

Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters 

The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome: Advice, Information, Inspiration, and Support for Raising Your Child from Diagnosis through Adulthood

Gifts 2: How People with Down Syndrome Enrich the World

We'll Paint the Octopus Red