Glass Child Syndrome is a huge question for parents. Parents of glass children should never take their child’s emotional health for granted and consider whether this child is experiencing adjustment issues. They should be skeptical of claims from their children that everything is fine and should frequently express unconditional love. The parents should read books about glass children, discuss the disorder with their children, and develop solutions for the child’s problems. If the child insists that everything is fine, it may indicate that they are in denial.
Glass Child Syndrome: Siblings Of Children With Special Needs
It may bless glass children with many unique characteristics. But that doesn’t mean they’re doomed to suffer from emotional or medical difficulties. Even many siblings of high-need children attribute their brother’s unique abilities to the way their lives have turned out. But if you’re a child-care provider, you should be aware of the unique challenges faced by sibling-of-a child-with-special-needs.
Alicia Arenas
Alicia Arenas has been suffering from Glass Child Syndrome for many years, having grown up with a brother with autism and a terminal illness. She grew up being the “good” girl in public while dying on the inside. She uses her experiences to speak out against looking through siblings of special needs children and help those with a child with the condition. Taking a simple action to support a Glass Child can make a huge difference in the person’s life with a disorder.
Alicia Arenas talks about the glass child syndrome in her TEDx talk. Glass children are siblings of a special needs child. Despite being healthy and living a normal life, these siblings are forever impacted by the special needs child. Alicia Arenas knows this from personal experience. Read on to learn how you can help. Simple actions can mean the world to a glass child. She has done both.
Alicia Arenas, a former teacher, and TED speaker describes the difficulties of having siblings with special needs. Her childhood was filled with trauma. She had a disabled brother and lost her younger sister when she was 11. She even contemplated suicide at the age of eleven. Because she didn’t have a family to turn to, she never received the help she needed. She felt ignored and unheard of by others.
Alicia Arenas has glass child syndrome. Like most glass children, she grew up with minimal affection and attention. In her own words, she was treated like a “silent killer” who would kill anyone who got too close. Alicia Arenas has a similar story. She grew up in a home that was deprived of affection and attention, even after requesting it. The lack of affection and attention that Alicia received from her family was detrimental to her overall well-being.
Siblings With A Mission
While the term “glass adult” may be an overstatement, millions of children have experienced the life experience of growing up with a sibling with a disability. The sibling feels looked at, not seen, during the early years of development. The siblings begin to understand the impact of the sibling’s disability on the entire family. There is hope for the future for these children, however.
PACs1 Syndrome
Jasey has been searching for answers to her question, “What is the difference between PACS1 syndrome and Glass Child Syndrome?“. She was the third person diagnosed with PACS1 globally and the first female to do so in the United States. Jasey continues to undergo physical, speech, and occupational therapy and is making great progress with the help of the Cincinnati Genetic department. A genetic test for PACs1 is currently developing.
Time Demands On Parents
If you have a sibling with a high need, you may be experiencing unprecedented time demands. So, these parents may be incredibly overwhelmed and need a way to cope. In contrast, a sibling does not necessarily have a disability. And many siblings of high-need children credit their brothers for their own choices and carrier status. They may also have behavioral or emotional problems that may need special attention. Glass children have siblings with multiple needs who often require extensive care and attention.
Feelings Of Hopelessness
Parents of glass children should be aware of the unique life experiences of their siblings and not take their emotional health for granted. So, they should be skeptical of their child’s statements that everything is fine and consider whether they have any adjustment problems. Parents should express their unconditional love to their children frequently and discuss glass child syndrome. They should come up with solutions to the problems they experience in their families.
Although glass children are typically healthy, they often have special needs and are unable to cope with their environment. Typically, they are neglected emotionally and suffer from immense pressure to be “problem-free.” They take on the role of parents at a young age. They have a deep need to make others happy and take on their own parents’ responsibilities at an early age. As a result, glass children have limited time to develop and flourish.
Depression
The emotional well-being of unaffected children of glass children should never take for granted. When the child claims that everything is fine, it may signify that the child is having difficulty adjusting to his new circumstances. Additionally, parents should frequently express unconditional love to help the child cope with his new circumstances. So, they should read books about glass children and talk with their children about their experiences. In addition, parents should develop solutions to help the child cope with his life challenges.
Anxiety
Firstly, anxiety and glass child syndrome symptoms in children are quite different from those in healthy children. Children with this syndrome have intense fears about various things and can appear to be hyperactive. So, they may avoid social situations or stay away from the center of attention. In addition to a heightened level of anxiety, these children often experience tummy aches, headaches, and a general inability to concentrate. Finally, a physician may be able to diagnose them with anxiety disorder.
Jamie
It isn’t until Jamie begins walking and sitting up that the doctor realizes she has a very large obstruction in her heart. This obstruction should have prevented her from doing these things, but it didn’t. The surgeon saves the valves, and Jamie is on the road to recovery. Although Jamie is a little nervous, she trusts the doctor to care for her. However, this experience did not go as well as the doctor had hoped.
The hospital doesn’t know what to do with such a young child. They send Jamie to an ill-fitting allergy doctor. At his appointment, Jamie sits in a rocking chair with his hands behind his head. When the doctor asks him how long he has had the disease, he answers, “probably about two years.” The social worker promises to call Jamie in a few days but never does. The hospital is unaware that Jamie is living with AIDS and the stigma surrounding the disease is high.
In addition to these symptoms, parents of glass children should take care of their unaffected siblings. They should avoid taking the unaffected child’s complaints about their situation for granted. They should also avoid giving in to their child’s claim that they are fine and express their love unconditionally often. Parents should also read books on glass children and discuss the disorder with their children. They should try to come up with their own solutions to the problem.
Jasey
If you’re wondering, “What is glass child syndrome?” it is an anxiety disorder characterized by intense fears, hyperactivity, and a general inability to focus. Symptoms vary from child to child, but most often, the symptoms of glass child syndrome are quite different from normal behavior. A physician can distinguish glass child syndrome from anxiety disorder if these symptoms are present in a child. If you suspect your child may have glass child syndrome, you should seek medical care.
The emotional well-being of children with glass child syndrome is something parents should never take for granted. Often express your love unconditionally, and consider your child’s claims. Talk to them about the disorder and develop solutions to the problems they may be facing. Read books about glass children and discuss the disorder with them. They may feel confused, but your unaffected child needs you to be patient and supportive. They’ll appreciate your concern for their well-being and be more likely to open up.
While glass children may have unique characteristics, they’re not necessarily medically or emotionally challenged. In fact, many siblings of high-need children attribute their brother’s exceptional abilities to their own life choices. However, child care providers must be aware of the special challenges these children and their siblings face. They need special attention from clinicians to make the best decisions. When it comes to evaluating and treating glass children, be sure to ask the siblings about their individual life experiences and preferences.
Maitreyah And Kayah
A dance performance and theatrical production based on the story of Kayah and Maitreyah, a boy and girl born with a genetic disorder known as glass child syndrome. The performance explores the connection between the two sisters and their impact on their lives. The performance also highlights the impact of others’ perceptions on glass children. A great deal of empathy and compassion are required for the children, and the family should be supportive and understanding of the struggles of their siblings.
While these children do not seem fragile, they do look vulnerable. Their parents place disproportionate stress and energy on one child. This sibling may have an obvious physical disability, addiction, serious illness, or significant behavioral problems. They are referred to as glass children because parents look through them through their own child’s behavior to see if the other one is okay. The parents‘ overwhelming need to fix the world often manifests itself as physical disability, addiction, or severe illness.
Jamie’s Journey
In Jamie’s Journey, author Sharon Wozny offers a guide for siblings who have to deal with a child with a disability. She has experience working with the Children’s Cancer Network and has met many young patients with various challenges. She has also learned that siblings face unique challenges as well and has created an interactive journal in the book to address those challenges. Jamie’s Journey will provide readers with an outlet for their emotions and help them cope.
It can be helpful to develop a social support network for siblings to ease the effects of parentification on each child. Having a support group in place will help the parents feel less responsible for their siblings, which can ease anxiety about the future. Parents should make time to talk with siblings one-on-one to discuss their feelings and share experiences. Holl also suggests reading age-appropriate books about the diagnosis and involving them in health care appointments.
Having a sibling with a disability can make a typically developing child feel isolated. They may not have many peers with similar disabilities, and they may feel different when friends ask them about their sister. Oftentimes, these feelings can be so uncomfortable that siblings may not share them with other children. Some children are embarrassed to talk about their disabled sibling, while others are too embarrassed to invite their friends over.
