There are many ways that you can support and guide your child and encourage him or her to share their feelings and thoughts about being the sibling of a child living with epilepsy. Some of these include:
– Calmly and honestly answering any questions your child may have
– Encouraging your child to talk freely about their feelings
– Letting your child know that it is OK to feel angry, sad or frustrated at times
– Celebrating your child’s personal achievements
– Supporting your child to connect with the siblings of other children living with epilepsy (peer connections)
– Seeking professional support for your child if you feel that he or she is not coping.
Sometimes your son or daughter will communicate their feelings with you directly. At other times they may not and instead display concerns through certain behaviours, including:
– Withdrawing from social situations or peer activities
– Excessive ‘acting up’ and/or attention seeking
– Being overly concerned with being the ‘good child’ or ‘people pleaser’ in order to achieve recognition and approval.