‘Sesame Street’ introduces autistic character

Children edutainment programme “Sesame Street” has taken a heartening step to increase awareness and help kids with development disorders.

Muppets Elmo, Oscar and Big Bird have found themselves a new friend: an orange-haired muppet who “does things a little differently.” Julia, the newest character on the show, is a young girl with autism. She is seen spending an afternoon with Abby Cadabby and Elmo, while the latter describes her unique qualities to the audience and Abby.

The new muppet is part of Sesame Street’s initiative “See Amazing in All Children,” launched on Oct 21. It is an attempt to create an understanding among children of their autistic peers, by bridging gaps and starting dialogue. The project combines interactive elements such as a downloadable free app with video and digital cards, online videos, and a storybook featuring Julia from Sesame Street.

“See Amazing in All Children” highlights similarities instead of focusing on differences, according to People Magazine. It is directed at families that have children with autism as well as the general public, and hopes to educate on best practices for everyday stressful situations.

Sherrie Westin, executive vice president of global impacts and philanthropy for Sesame Workshop, the non-profit group behind the show, said that families with autistic children tended to gravitate toward digital content, which was why Julia was created digitally, reports People.

The 2012 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers showed that an estimated 0.5 percent, or 115,400 Australians, had autism. This was a 79 percent increase on the 64,400 people estimated to have the condition in 2009, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice-president of Sesame Street Workshop’s US Social Impact, said, “When we explain from a child’s point of view that there are certain behaviours…to express excitement or unhappiness, it helps younger children to understand how to interact with their autistic peers,” reports People magazine. “Everyone is touched by autism, and by creating Julia, Sesame is bringing children together.”

Julia, the autistic muppet from Sesame Street, is just one among the many characters and plots that the programme has used to spread positive social messages. According to Sesame Workshop, children who view Sesame Street episodes with pro-social messages exhibit levels of pro-social behaviour that are up to 40 percent higher than children who do not watch these episodes.

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