- CSID Cares
- Life with CSID
- Siblings
Negative Emotions
Feeling left out or jealous
Resentment or bitterness
Siblings may sense that there is a “special” relationship between you and the child with CSID because of the time spent focusing on the CSID diet and routine. Make extra efforts to spend quality time with all children in the household on a regular basis. Be sure to send the message that a diagnosis of CSID does not put one child above or below the others. For siblings not affected by CSID, try to engage in activities that are meaningful to that child, whether it’s reading a book together, playing sports together, or going out for a treat.
A sense of guilt, thinking, “Why him and not me?”
Anger at the situation, thinking, “Why us? Why our family? It is not fair.”
Embarrassment when others notice the different diet and symptoms of the child affected by CSID
Easing Negative Emotions
To ease or forestall some of these negative emotions, allow siblings to take turns making typical family choices, such as selecting TV programs to watch or what the family may do for an outing. Additionally, a sibling who does not have CSID should not be required to adhere to a restricted diet themselves. However, it can be beneficial to create at least one family meal with as much common ground as possible, so the child with CSID feels included at family mealtimes. Maintaining a sense of fairness and understanding engages all the children to support one another. Accepting human differences and limitations while celebrating strengths with compassion is a life lesson for all.
Positive Aspects
There are positive aspects of having a family member with a chronic condition. Non-CSID siblings have ample opportunities to develop increased empathy, adaptability, responsibility, and problem-solving skills. Making your children aware of the desirable traits they are attaining is encouraged. Involve the CSID child and affected siblings in creating family goals and reassessing them periodically. The goal should be for CSID to bring the family closer together, not tear the family apart.