Forty percent of school children have some kind of learning problem. Children with special needs place a special kind of stress on the family. Almost no parent is prepared to be a parent of a child with special needs. Almost no parent is prepared to know how to be an effective advocate for the special-needs child. When there are other children in the family, there can be both positive and negative effects on the siblings.
Many siblings show greater maturity and responsibility.
They develop patience and learn to deal effectively with embarrassment. They are more flexible and more accepting of differences in others. On the negative side, a sibling can feel resentful because of the extra attention given to the child with special needs. Some siblings feel overloaded if they have to care for their brother or sister. Families may lose some of their freedom, leading to more stress in the household.