2026 RNDS | Family Resilience: Siblings, Mental Health, and Building Independence

Описание: In this session from the 2026 Rare Neuroimmune Disorders Symposium (RNDS), Jaclyn Aldrich, PhD, a pediatric acute care psychologist, and Camille S. Wilson, PhD, a pediatric neuropsychologist, both of Nationwide Children's Hospital, spoke about family resilience, supporting siblings, mental health, and building independence. They described how siblings experience the first illness, the hospital stay, and recovery, and offered ways to share clear, age-appropriate information, prepare siblings for hospital visits, and keep one-on-one time and activities going [00:01:31]. They then looked at how parents' roles shift across the phases of illness, including uncertainty, worry about the future, a sense of grief, and ways to restore a feeling of control and connect with other families [00:10:04]. Parents and other audience members shared their own experiences, including the gap in support between pediatric cancer and rare neuroimmune disorders, the long arc of recovery, and the value of camps [00:17:46]. The session ended with moving from pediatric to adult health care, and with resources such as the Courageous Parents Network and books for siblings [00:26:00].

Camille S. Wilson, PhD, ABPP, is a pediatric neuropsychologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University. Her clinical work focuses on neuropsychology for children with immune-related conditions, including neuroimmune conditions such as demyelinating syndromes and autoimmune encephalitis, and on helping young people and their families prepare for the move to adulthood. She conducts clinical research in spina bifida, neuroimmune conditions and chronic kidney disease, and completed her internship and fellowship at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Jaclyn T. Aldrich, PhD, is an acute care psychologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and a clinical assistant professor at The Ohio State University. A member of the hospital's pediatric acute treatment team, she specializes in crisis intervention and treatment for young people, including suicidality and self-harm, depression and anxiety. Dr. Aldrich earned her doctorate at Seattle Pacific University, completed her internship at Primary Children's Hospital and her fellowship at Seattle Children's Hospital.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
00:31 The Family Experience of Illness
01:31 How Siblings Experience Illness
05:06 Supporting Siblings
10:04 Parents and Care Partner Roles
12:40 Common Concerns for Parents
15:27 Supporting Parents
17:46 Sharing Experiences
18:59 Gaps in Support Between Conditions
23:14 Long-Term Recovery and Camps
26:00 Moving to Adult Health Care
30:19 Resources for Families