MRKH Guide for Parents and Guardians:
Talking with Siblings

Intro	Helping your Daughter
Treatment Options	Talking with Siblings
Accepting your Daughter's Diagnosis	Commonly Asked Questions
Taking Care of Yourself

It's essential to decide with your daughter what she wants her brothers or sisters to know, if anything, about her diagnosis. You can help guide her about what should be said to whom and by whom. She may not want them to know anything initially and may chose to discuss it after she has become used to her diagnosis. However, if your daughter will be using dilators, she is going to need some private time. Then, it may be helpful to say something to her siblings such as, "Your sister is healthy and she has some special medical issues she needs to take care of. She will need to have some private time for herself every day". The information that you and your daughter share with her siblings will depend on the age, language development, the quality of their relationship and the personality of the child. If siblings are adults, your daughter may choose to talk more openly with them.

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Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

Updated: 10/20/2011