Autism Case Study

Autism is one of the most challenging developmental disabilities, creating more stress on parents than any other type, even down syndrome (Glasberg). Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability that causes difficulty in communication skills, learning abilities, and how they connect. Since autism is caused by brain development there can be different intensities of the disorder, which changes each persons experience. Having a child who is on the autism spectrum impacts each family in a unique way but most common it changes financial status, effects siblings, and effects the families’ relationships. Most family’s tend to run into financial issues while raising a child who is on the autism spectrum, these financial expenses come from

Brothers and sisters of a child with autism can react in two different ways. They either accept the disorder and the relationship between them grows or they do not accept it and tear apart a sibling bond. In a situation where they both benefit from the relationship they may become closer and the siblings may be very protective of their brother or sister (Raising Children Network). When the relationship is built up and made stronger usually the autistic child is the youngest. This is because older siblings are able to understand the situation more than young children would (Raising Children Network). Siblings that are negatively impacted may experience the situation in two ways: emotionally or physically. Emotionally their stress level, thoughts and views of sibling, and personal feelings may change. Children can experience many different levels of stress, these can be caused by tensions between other members of the family, amounts of therapy, or many other ways (Paltrow). Also they may have negative thoughts of the sibling with autism (Glasberg), since they may act differently. Finally children may feel as if they are left behind especially if both parents focus lots on the autistic child (Glasberg). Since they are impacted emotionally, their actions may also change. Siblings of a child with autism are more destructive, play less with their siblings, and tend to have fewer friends (Glasberg). This may cause tensions in the household and may not be understood by the