Being a sibling can be complicated and challenging. Many siblings grow up not knowing there are other people out there with similar experiences, but it can really help to know that you’re not alone. In this section, adult siblings share their stories of life with their disabled brother or sister.
When you grow up as the sibling of a disabled person, there is often an unspoken expectation that your story should fit a specific script. Society tends to prefer these narratives wrapped in a neat, sentimental box: either a story of quiet tragedy or one of selfless sainthood. But forcing my experience into either of … Continued
My Journey as a Sibling: A Message of Persistence and Perspective Growing up, my earliest memories of my brother weren’t defined by a diagnosis, but by the simple, shared experiences of childhood—spending time away on holidays with our grandparents or losing track of time playing video games together. For a long time, he was just … Continued
Growing up I have had the privilege of having an extremely supportive family for the most part. My mother has always been my rock. However, this isn’t to say it was always easy. I subconsciously felt less than my sibling growing up and often felt responsible for him in situations my immediate family was not … Continued
Hi, I’m Eden. I’m 22 and from Belfast, Northern Ireland. I’m currently an undergraduate student studying Childhood and Youth Studies, while also balancing being a young adult carer for my younger brother, who is 19 and has autism and learning disabilities. Alongside this, I work for a charity supporting young people with autism, host my … Continued
Listen to this honest and moving BBC Radio 2 programme featuring adult sibling Hannah, who grew up as a young carer for her sister Sally, who is autistic and has ADHD and OCD. Listen on BBC Sounds (free account required). Hannah’s interview begins at 48 minutes 40 seconds and lasts around 22 minutes. Hannah reflects on … Continued
My sister is 3 years older than me and has William’s syndrome. When I was 14 – 17 years-old, these were some things we would do together. When I was too young to take her out, we spent a lot of time doing activities at home. I always tried to do something that we both … Continued
I am 20 years old and my sister is 2.5 years younger than me, but the developmental age gap is much higher. This is harder to put a number on! She is neurodivergent with a spiky profile, so her developmental age varies on the day and by the task. She also has some minor health … Continued
I am 19 and my brother is three years younger than me and is autistic. Although we have always been very close and probably spend more time together than ‘normal’ siblings, it’s hard to think of concrete ‘things’ that we do together. Conversations and texts A lot of our time together is spent with … Continued
Hi everyone, I’m Cassie. I don’t remember a time before my only sibling was diagnosed with what would now be described as level 3 autism and a severe learning disability. Although I have many wonderful memories of growing up with my sister, there were also aspects of our home life that were intensely challenging and … Continued
Five adult siblings tell us about their experiences of genetic screening and genetic counselling. “I’ve had genetic screening and genetic counselling twice, the first time I was 16 to see if I was a carrier for the DMD [Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy] gene. I would want someone to know that there is no shame in wanting … Continued
Would you like to help other siblings by sharing your own story? Please get in touch.