as a sibiling

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I hear all the time about how hard autism is for the parents but what about the "normal" sibilings.. My little brother is 13 he can't talk I'll never get to fight with him I can't really get mad at him because its not his fault really he has sever Autism he still wears a diper has barly any communication skills he's like a baby trapped in a teenagers body. I"m 16 and have been raising and taking care of my brother since I was 9 which is when our parents got divorced we were forced to live with my mom because of my 2 half brothers who had to stay with our dad our mother worked 8 hours came home and got on the computer so it fell apon me to take care of my brother and myself soon my grades were falling I simply didnt have the time or energy to do my homework 2 years later our father regained partial custudy of us and things were starting to look up I was still Bryce main care provider at 11 our dad was working anywear from 8 to 12 hour days to pay for my brothers medical bills that his insurence didn't cover. when I was 13 our mom got remaried and moved several states away there was a huge custody battle that was tought when the judge looked at me and asked me what I wanted I looked at him with tears in my eyes and simply said all I want is to stay with my brother at this point in my life he had become such a huge part of my life that I couldnt bare the idea of being seperated from him. I've given up everything so that bryce always had someone to take care of him I've missed out on being a kid while the other kids rode their bikes and went to the pool during the summer I babysat my brother when other kids went our for sports I stayed home home with my brother even thoguh I've missed out on so much I still wouldn't trade it away I love my brother Bryce so much he means the world to me and it kills me inside when people say cruel things about him and it kills me that I'll probly never get to hear him say I love you or see him get married or go on dates learn to drive..

Speaking as a person with autsim... and who feels guilty that he is a burden on others... I can tell you that your brother does love you and while he may not see everything you do for him he does know that you have sacrificed for him... and if he could I know that he would say... thank you

You shouldn't feel guilty. I know I don't want my brother to fell guilty no one asked me to give things up I did it because it was thr right thing to do and I"m glad I did taking care of him has made me the person I am today and I couldn;t imgen my life any other way. and thank you I know he loves me I see it everyday in the little things he does thank you for saying it though it makes me feel a lot better.

I knew of a girl who was in your shoes. She had a brother who was severly autistic and he wasn't potty trained, and it was in the 80s when they were just starting to market adult diapers in North America. They didn't have youth diapers yet, and the boy always brought an extra changing oef clothes with him to school. He could only say a few words and he liked to jump up and down when he was happy. That girl loved his brotyher and did everything for him. That was back in the mid 80s and I didn't even know that I was on the spectrum myself, until my mum told me three years later.