30+ Books for Kids with Special Needs Siblings: The Ultimate List

This post contains referral links which means that if you purchase from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale.  Don't worry, this won't cost you any extra!

When my youngest son Davy was born, my three older kids were 6, 4 and 17 months old.  The next year or so was very hard on my whole family as Davy spent countless hours at doctors' appointment, was hospitalized five times and, and required one-on-one care during most of his waking hours.  The guilt of not being able to care for all my kids' needs was crushing and made even worse when people would "helpfully" point out that I had three older kids who needed me too.  I knew that having a medically complex, special needs sibling was hard on my kids and I didn't want them to resent him or feel left out.

When Davy was around six months old, I found a book about kids with G Tubes on Amazon and got it to read to the older kids.  It helped them see that their brother's button wasn't scary and other kids had them too.  That got me thinking of how helpful books could be for kids who have siblings with special needs.

Keep reading for a list of over 30 books for kids with special needs siblings.

10 Things Guaranteed to Cure Whatever Ails You

This post contains referral links which means that if you purchase from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale.  Don't worry, this won't cost you any extra!

As someone with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, asthma, acid reflux disease, eczema, etc, I've heard it all.  On top of that, all four of my kids have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome as well, and three of them also have asthma and eczema.  My youngest son, Davy, had to have a feeding tube until he was 18 months old due to the severity of his issues.

With all that, there's no shortage of unsolicited advice and cures.

"You only have your disease because you've 'claimed' it."

"You'd feel better if you would exercise more and eat better."

"Your *insert condition here* could be cured if you tried this supplement."

"Your EDS was caused by vaccinations."

Thanks to all the helpful advice I've received, I was able to put together a list of things that will cure any problem you have.  You're welcome.

Special Needs and Chronic Illness Medical Binder Printable

When Davy was in the thick of his medical complexities, I put together a binder full of information and notes that I took with me to every appointment.  I used the binder to track Davy's symptoms, log his meds and hospitalizations, record questions for upcoming appointments, and more.  It was pretty basic...loose notebook paper shoved in plastic sheet protectors and held together in a 3 ring binder.  Nothing fancy, but it helped me stay organized and on top of Davy's care needs, especially when we switched health care providers.

Then, last year, Davy along with two of his siblings and I, were all diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. 

Meet Elizabeth - GERD Awareness

November is GERD Awareness month!  GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and affects approximately 20% of the US population. It's also referred to as acid reflux, heartburn, and acid indigestion by doctors.

Davy and I both have GERD and it definitely affected Davy as an infant.  He vomited a lot and battled constant GI issues because of it.

Holly's 22 month old daughter, Elizabeth has GERD.  She graciously let me interview her to learn her story and raise awareness for the disease.