The Down Syndrome Collaborative supports new and expectant parents from pregnancy through age 3 with key partners in the Down syndrome community. In this month’s Down Syndrome Collaborative meeting, Kate and Lily Meredith present on their experience growing up with their older brother, Andy, who has Down syndrome.
The Sibling Connection
Kate and Lily share their experiences with their brother, including stories of growing up inseparable, first realizing people may see him differently than they do, lessons learned from watching him forge his own path, and how he shaped their future and goals.
Statistics
Kate and Lily also share important statistics about siblings of people with Down syndrome from Skotko & Levine, 2011, including:
- More than 96% said they loved their sibling with Down syndrome
- 94% of older siblings said they were proud of their loved one with Down syndrome, and 88% also said they were better people because of their sibling with Down syndrome
- More than 90% planned to remain involved in their sibling’s life as they grew older
Resources for Siblings
To learn more, check out these books for siblings of people with Down syndrome:
- Books for younger children:
- 47 Strings: Tessa’s Special Code by Becky Carey
- We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
- I Can, Can You? by Marjorie W. Pitzer
- My Friend Isabelle by Eliza Woloson
- Eli, Included by Michelle Sullivan
- What’s Inside Me Is Inside You, Too: My Chromosomes Make Me Unique by Deslie Webb Quinby
- This is Ella by Krista Ewert
- Hannah’s Down Syndrome Super Powers by Lori Leigh Yarborough
- My Sister, Alicia May by Nancy Tupper Ling
- Books for older children, teens, and adult siblings:
- Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters by Brian Skotko & Susan Levine
- The Sibling Slam Book: What It’s Really Like to Have a Brother or Sister with Special Needs by Don Meyer
- Thicker Than Water: Essays by Adult Siblings of People with Disabilities by Don Meyer
