Sesame Street is on a mission to spread awareness and generate discussions about autism. The longtime running PBS children's program has prided itself on discussing informative topics to help close educational and cultural gaps around the world. To add to their unique teaching techniques, Sesame Street will introduce their first Muppet with autism to the cast.
In an new nationwide initiative to explore differences among children and highlight their commonalities, Sesame Street Workshop launched Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children on Wednesday morning (Oct. 21) in order to reduce the negative connotations associated with the disorder. They welcomed their first Muppet with autism named Julia.
Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is described as a complex brain development disorder that impairs the way you socially interact and your ability to verbally and non-verbally communicate to varying degrees, according autismspeaks.org. Signs and symptoms of autism generally emerge early on in childhood, typically around the ages of two and three.
"Children with autism are five times more likely to get bullied," Senior Vice President of U.S. Social Impact, Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, told People. "And with one in 68 children having autism, that's a lot of bullying. Our goal is to bring forth what all children share in common, not their differences. Children with autism share in the joy of playing and loving and being friends and being part of a group."
Geared towards families with children ages two to five, the initiative offers a a free app with digital story cards containing tips and tools to make daily life (like brushing teeth, crossing the street, and going to bed) easier for families living with autism. Sherrie Westin, Vice President of Global Impacts and Philanthropy, told People autistic children tend to lean toward digital content more, which is why the decided to make Julia a digital character.
Julia is joined by Sesame Street veterans Elmo, Grover and Abby throughout her stories. Julia also explains to her new friends how she likes to play a little differently from them. With the hopes of bringing people together, the initiative's goal is to create more understanding about the disorder and less discomfort.
"This is what makes our project so unique," Dr. Betancourt said. "When we explain from a child's point of view that there are certain behaviors, such as slapping their hands or making noises, to express excitement or unhappiness, it helps younger children to understand how to interact with their autistic peers. It makes children more comfortable and therefor more inclusive."
Sesame Street is also using social media platforms to help spread the word about autism awareness by using #SeeAmazing online. See what Julia looks like here.
