These are very confusing emotions for a child to deal with. A child may worry about his ill sibling, yet resent all the attention, gifts, and conversations that revolve around the ill sibling. Jealousy is usually compounded by the additional feeling of guilt for having these emotions. Siblings of an ill brother or sister need to have the lines of communication open at all times. Let them know that they are deeply loved and valued.
Many siblings are very compassionate and display a tremendous amount of strength.
My sister has had hydrocephalus for many years. At first, I was not aware of the symptoms and complications as we were both very little when she had her first operation. I always wished I could find the right words to say to my sister when she would be self-conscious about the scars on her head, or when she would have to explain to a hairdresser where the scars came from. I was away at college when she had two shunt revisions as an adult. When I first visited her in the hospital, it was distressing for me to see the hair shaved off half of her head, a large bandage around her head and tubes in her arms and nose.