March 20, 2026

Dear Readers,

Welcome to this month’s edition of The Neuropsychlopedia Newsletter. I’m so glad you’re here.

This issue focuses on a topic that deserves far more attention: glass children, the siblings of children with significant medical, developmental, or mental health needs. These children often grow up quietly navigating complex family dynamics, learning empathy and resilience while sometimes feeling unseen themselves.

In this newsletter, we’ll explore what it means to be a glass child, share current research and statistics, highlight helpful resources, and include a podcast conversation that brings this experience into clearer focus. I’ll also share a short videos and reflections that may resonate with families navigating these dynamics.

My hope is that this issue helps parents, caregivers, and professionals better understand the experiences of all children within a family system, because every child deserves to feel seen, heard, and supported.

Warmly,
Rebecca A. Fontanetta, PsyD, ABPdN
Board-Certified Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Founder, The Neuropsychlopedia

This Month’s Reflection

When we talk about children with complex needs, medical, developmental, or emotional, we often focus, understandably, on the child who needs the most support. These children require therapies, appointments, advocacy, and enormous parental attention.

But they are rarely growing up alone.

Many families include siblings who learn very early how to adapt. These children often become incredibly empathetic, responsible, and perceptive. They sense when their parents are overwhelmed. They try not to add more stress. They become “the easy one.”

In recent years, these siblings have sometimes been called glass children, not because they are fragile, but because adults may unintentionally look through them while focusing on the child whose needs are most visible.

In my work with families, I see how complex this experience can be. Glass children often feel deep love and pride for their sibling. At the same time, they may quietly carry feelings of loneliness, pressure, or the belief that their own needs should take up less space.

Recognizing this dynamic is not about guilt. Parenting a child with significant needs is demanding and often exhausting. Rather, awareness gives families an opportunity to make room for every child’s experience.

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is surprisingly simple:

Pause.
Turn toward the sibling who seems “fine.”
And remind them that they are seen too.

What the Research Shows

Studies on siblings of children with chronic illness or neurodevelopmental differences suggest:

• 40–60% report feeling overlooked at times
• Many assume adult-like responsibilities earlier than peers
• They often show higher levels of empathy and social awareness
• Some experience increased anxiety or pressure to succeed

Awareness, not guilt, is the key. When families recognize these dynamics, they can create space for every child’s emotional needs.

Gentle Reframe

The term glass child can be powerful because it shines a light on something that often goes unnoticed: the siblings who quietly grow up alongside a child with significant medical, developmental, or mental health needs.

At the same time, I often encourage families to approach this concept with curiosity rather than worry.

Most parents are doing the very best they can in complex circumstances. When one child requires more support, attention naturally shifts in that direction. That is not failure, it is caregiving.

And many siblings grow up not only with challenges, but with extraordinary strengths.

These children often develop deep empathy, emotional awareness, resilience, and a strong sense of responsibility. They learn to understand differences early. They become compassionate advocates for others. Many tell me later in life that their family experiences shaped their values in meaningful ways.

So while it is important to recognize when a sibling may feel overlooked, it is equally important to remember that these children are not defined by being “looked through.”

They are often thoughtful, capable, and deeply connected members of their families.

The goal is not to eliminate the complexity of family life. The goal is simply to remain mindful, to create moments where siblings feel seen, heard, and included in the story of their family.

When families bring awareness to these dynamics, something important happens:

Every child has space to matter.

If You’d Like to Explore Further

Season 2 of The Neuropsychlopedia Podcast Has Arrived!

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering,
Is this typical?
What does this diagnosis really mean?
How do we move forward from here?

Season 2 of The Neuropsychlopedia Podcast is here, and we’re continuing the work of replacing confusion and misinformation with clarity, connection, support, and hope.

Hosted by board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist Dr. Rebecca A. Fontanetta, PsyD, ABPdN, this season expands on the collaborative approach listeners have come to trust. Each episode invites parents, providers, and curious learners into thoughtful conversations about:

• Neuropsychological assessment
• Evidence-based interventions
• Emotional regulation and behavior
• Advocacy and educational systems
• Supporting neurodivergent children
• And the questions we are often afraid to ask

This is not a purely didactic experience.
It is a space to think together.

Grounded in science.
Informed by real-world experience.
Accessible to everyone.

A Closing Thought

Families are beautifully complex systems. When one child has significant medical, developmental, or emotional needs, the entire family naturally shifts to support them. That kind of caregiving requires patience, flexibility, advocacy, and tremendous love.

At the same time, it’s important to remember that every child in a family is having their own experience of that journey.

For siblings, this can include pride, empathy, frustration, protectiveness, and sometimes questions about where they fit in the family story. None of these feelings are wrong, they are simply part of growing up within a dynamic family system.

The goal is not perfection, and it is certainly not guilt. Parenting under these circumstances is demanding and deeply human. Instead, the goal is awareness. When we pause to notice the siblings who appear to be “doing fine,” we create opportunities for connection, conversation, and reassurance.

Sometimes the most meaningful support comes in small moments: a quiet check-in, time spent together, or simply reminding a child that their feelings and experiences matter too.

Every child in a family deserves to feel seen, valued, and understood.

Thank you for being part of this community and for continuing to explore these conversations with curiosity and compassion.

Warmly,
Rebecca A. Fontanetta, PsyD, ABPdN