Tuning in to Siblings: Using Music Therapy to Support Brothers and Sisters

April 10th was National Siblings Day!

While we often think about celebrating the fun, loving bond between siblings, it’s also a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the experiences of brothers and sisters who are affected when a sibling is hospitalized.

Did You Know....

• When a child is hospitalized, everyone in the family is affected...especially brothers and sisters!

• Children who are hospitalized often receive more attention, special treatment and gifts. Brothers and sisters can experience many feelings as they try to understand and deal with the change in family-life and routines.

• Siblings may also experience feelings of worry, jealousy, resentment, embarrassment, guilt, sadness, and loneliness. They may also experience increased moodiness, behavior changes and school difficulties.

Siblings of all ages are impacted by having their brother or sister in the hospital.  But siblings of infants who have never been home from the hospital can be affected differently.  The first time they have their baby brother or sister come home could be months or sometimes even a year or later after birth. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to give a presentation at the Western Region American Music Therapy Conference in Tempe, Arizona.  The topic was Supporting Siblings of Infants in the NICU and Cardiac Units.  This presentation discussed using music therapy to support our siblings before they come to the hospital to see their baby brother or sister for the first time, supporting them through music therapy when they are at the hospital visiting, and preparing them for when their baby sibling comes home. 

While National Sibling’s Day has passed, the importance of recognizing and supporting siblings never fades. Family-centered care means caring not just for the patient and caregivers, but for the siblings too. When we make space for their emotions, voices, and experiences, we help create a stronger, more supported family as a whole.

Let’s continue to see and support the strength of siblings—on National Sibling’s Day, and every day in between.