Siblings notice everything — the household tension, the different rules, the canceled plans, the exhausted parents. What they often don't have is language for what they are seeing or permission to ask their questions. An honest, age-appropriate explanation goes further than silence. Children fill silence with their own interpretations, which are often scarier than the truth. Something as simple as "your brother's brain is having a hard time right now because of a medical problem — it's not his fault, it's not your fault, and it's not contagious" gives siblings something real to hold onto. Their feelings — including anger, fear, and guilt — are valid and need space, not correction. If siblings are showing signs of significant stress, connecting them with a counselor of their own is worth considering.