All family members are impacted by the presence of a chronic condition within a family, particularly having a child with a treatable, but not curable disease. Medical advances, although positive, may result in children living longer, but who may also be faced with lifelong chronic health problems. Family resources, energy, and time are divided leaving siblings to navigate school alone. This paper examines the professional literature related to the family’s relationships, dynamics, roles, and responsibilities that may be significantly impacted by the chronic illness through the experiential family therapy lens. Specifically, key theorists, such as Carl Whitaker and Virginia Satir, suggest that families with chronically ill children may need to recognize their own suffering and grief and find ways to express those feelings. Further, family engagement in the school is essential for academic and psychosocial achievements while maintaining a healthy quality of life. Findings of this investigation indicate that the family therapist performs an influential role in helping the family to understand the issues and meaning to having a child with a chronic condition and that families may need to be reengaged with the schools to ensure academic success for those students as well as their siblings.
