Siblings are often overlooked when we consider who needs to make adjustments when there is a child identified with a hearing loss. But, siblings are greatly affected by the hearing loss with some of the following issues that need to be addressed.

For most children, the major success in making positive adjustments relates to the success for positive adjusting by the parents and other significant adults in the children’s lives, such as grandparents.

Letting the siblings understand
Children will not always understand what it means when they hear that their new baby brother or sister is hearing impaired. The children will often reflect the climate of the household. That is, if the parents are anxious or depressed, the children may feel anxious or depressed. If the parents are honest and positive, the children will be honest and positive. In any case, most children will react to the current status of their parents. Therefore, one of the most important factors is to help the parents make positive adjustments so the other children will follow along positively.

Some children may not adjust so easily. An older child may have a greater understanding of the world and how the world reacts to people who are disabled. Educating older children about hearing loss, hearing aids, and all the support and services available for persons with hearing loss can help them develop more positive outlooks.