Living with disability. Taking care of siblings

Authors

  • Roberta Caldin
  • Alessia Cinotti

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1970-2221/6442

Keywords:

phratry, care, disability, education

Abstract

The birth of a disabled child is a critical event that places all the members of the family in a condition of great vulnerability. When talking about families with a disabled child, attention is usually focused on the parents. Siblings tend to play a marginal role, as shown in the referred literature, in this specific field of investigation. Communicating diagnosis to siblings means involving them in the process of family change, making them active players rather than “spectators” in their own “existential niche”. Communication of diagnosis is a delicate, continuous process that has to be tackled appropriately, using targeted words and educational actions. Children need help in accepting and welcoming their disabled sibling, with all his/her characteristics (and deficits), through a balanced, pondered approach that includes both the dimension of co-development and the acknowledgement of problematic situations.

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Published

2016-11-30

How to Cite

Caldin, R., & Cinotti, A. (2016). Living with disability. Taking care of siblings. Ricerche Di Pedagogia E Didattica. Journal of Theories and Research in Education, 11(3), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1970-2221/6442

Issue

Section

Didactics: Theories, environments, and tools