Siblings of Ill Children

Up to 40% of children in the United States require health-related services above those needed by other children because of a chronic condition or illness. These chronic conditions and illnesses can be either mild or severe and affect the child's intellectual development, such as Down syndrome or developmental delay; emotional development, such as autism or bipolar disease; or physical development including cardiac disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, arthritis, or an orthopedic condition. These conditions may also be of an acute (life threatening or requiring immediate treatment) or of a chronic nature (duration of 6 or more months).

The majority of these children live at home, and their presence influences all family members, who may or may not be related by blood, including parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, ...