How to teach a younger sibling not to pick up unwanted behaviours from his brother...

Question

I would like some tips on how to teach a younger sibling
(age 3, not in school yet due to rural location) not to pick
up unwanted behaviours from his brother.

Answer

You might be concerned that your 3-year-old will pick up
unwanted behaviours because he might have Asperger’s
Syndrome, also. Asperger’s does, indeed, have a genetic
component.

New research in the area of Asperger’s has shown that
toddler siblings of autistic children are more likely to
exhibit the same atypical behaviours as their brothers and
sisters with autism, even when they don’t eventually develop
the disorder. Andy Shih, PhD, of the Baby Sibling Research
Consortium, states that this increases the importance of
careful monitoring of high-risk siblings of children with
autism {or Asperger’s} for any signs of a disorder. If one
should occur, you are well-situated for early intervention.
If atypical behaviours occur, but there is no Asperger’s,
you will feel relief at knowing that your second child does
not have it.

If you have a child with Asperger’s, the odds are 50 to 100
times greater that your second child will be diagnosed with
Asperger’s. At the age of three, it might be difficult to
tell if the child has Asperger’s. Ask yourself the
following:

• Does your younger son have age-appropriate
communication skills?

• Does he follow his brother’s exact behaviours?

• Is he overreacting to sensory stimuli (actions, lights,
sounds)? Does he cover his eyes or ears to avoid sensory
stimuli?

If you answered “No” to these questions, your son is
probably just imitating his older brother, and that is very
common with siblings. He might see his older brother as a
role model, or he sees his brother getting a lot of
attention for these behaviours, and he is imitating him to
get some of the attention.

If you answered “Yes” to the above questions, consider
having a professional, such as an Intervention Specialist or
special education teacher, observe your three-year- old when
he interacts with his brother, and when he is alone. You
might be thinking of waiting to see if your son outgrows
these behaviours; however, if he does have Asperger’s
Syndrome, you should begin early intervention. Make sure
that the professional you consult is experienced in
assessing autism spectrum disorders, and that his experience
specifically includes Asperger’s Syndrome.

Your awareness of the sibling relationship, along with the
help of a professional, and the book mentioned above will
give you information and assistance to help with your
three-year-old, if he, too, is diagnosed with Asperger’s
Syndrome. Stay in touch with the professional involved and
re-read the book so that you can provide a comprehensive
level of care for both your children.

The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide: A Complete
Resource Guide For Parents Who Have Children Diagnosed
With Aspergers Syndrome.