From the Providence Journal/Boston Globe:

Monthly gatherings called ‘Sibshops’ combine information, education and recreational activities to help siblings of children with autism confront their fears and feel less alone.

At the Autism Resource Center in West Boylston, Mass., a dozen siblings aged 9 to 15 shared their worries by writing them on white paper, crumpling them up and pelting them around the room. One by one, they picked up the “snowballs” and read the messages aloud.

Adult helpers offered reassurance.

They assured the youngsters that service providers will be there to help their autistic brothers or sisters with housing, employment and health-care needs when they are adults. They emphasized that employers and the general public are more understanding about autism than they once were. They stressed that a job and a handful of friends could make all the difference.

… Some youngsters looked relieved; others appeared unconvinced.

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