What is the TikTok Glass Child trend? Expert explains what it means

A new viral TikTok trend calling out the “glass child syndrome” is flooding the social media platform with content creators sharing heart-breaking videos after feeling neglected growing up. The term ‘glass child’ refers to children who have grown up alongside a sibling with a disability and had their upbringing impacted as a result.

The term ‘glass child’ was popularised by Alicia Maples, who spoke about her own experience as a glass child during a Ted Talk in 2010. Maples had a sibling with autism.

Hordes of videos have started appearing on Tiktok alongside the audio with the lyrics: “Did you get enough love, my little love?”. Meanwhile, creators who consider themselves” glass children” have taken to the social media site to talk about their own experiences.

Tiktokers such as @umcasey have shared what it was like growing up with a sibling with a disability. She shared a video to show both sides of ‘glass child syndrome’.

She wrote: “I may be a glass child but I got to meet the cast of Wizards of Waverly place for my sister’s wish trip and do tea parties with my grandma while she was doing chemo.

“Yeah my mom didn’t pay me as much attention but I also don’t have literal cancer.”

Another Tiktoker, who is also a family therapist, shared an explanation for the trend. Whitney Goodman (whitneygoodmanlmft) said: “If you grew up with a sibling who had a disability or was struggling in some way. They may have had a chronic illness or were just taking up a disproportionate amount of your parent’s energy; you might be considered what is known as a glass child.”