Experiences of siblings of children with congenital heart disease during Coronavirus disease 2019; A qualitative interview study.

Purpose: To explore siblings' perceptions of having a brother or sister with congenital heart disease in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design And Methods: Siblings of children with congenital heart disease aged 8-17 years old were interviewed via video call technology between September 2020 and February 2021. We conducted reflexive thematic analysis of these interviews to generate themes.

Findings: Interviews took place with 17 siblings, predominantly of white ethnicity n = 15 (86%). Most siblings interviewed were first born in the family n = 15 (88%), and most children with CHD were the youngest n = 15(88%). Four themes were generated; My sibling is vulnerable, what does this mean for my family, I have a responsibility to protect my brother or sister, our family time during the pandemic and adjustment and adaptations to pandemic life.

Conclusions: Siblings identified difficult aspects of the pandemic and these related to concerns about their brother's or sister's vulnerability, family impact, and keeping their sibling safe. They also identified adjustments they made to keep their family functioning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the worry and uncertainty siblings experienced, they valued increased family cohesion which helped to mitigate some challenges of the restrictions imposed in the UK.

Practice Implications: Honest and open communication is valued by siblings. It is vital to ensure siblings receive the support they need to ensure they keep up with their schooling and social commitments as pandemic related restrictions ease.