Sesame Street Introduces a New Character Who Has Autism

There is a new kid on the block and on this street everyone is welcome! Her name is Julia and she is like any other energetic, fun loving, curious girl. She also has autism.

Introduced online this week, Julia is Sesame Street’s newest member, and to many families, will likely become its most important one. Part of a major new Sesame Workshop initiative aimed at de-stigmatizing autism, she joins the world’s most famous street to help convey lifelong lessons about tolerance, acceptance and friendship. The initiative, called “Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children” campaign is focused on providing autism awareness to parents, children, teachers and caregivers.

As part of the initiative, Sesame Workshop launched a website (sesamestreet.org/autism) that provides resources and related activities to the autism community. A digital book featuring Julia highlights her friendship with Elmo, Grover and Abby, and their road to understanding Julia’s similarities and differences. The site also provides adaptations for autistic children, including larger buttons, audio-off options and content that can be customized for individual use.The prevalence of autism in U.S. children increased by 119.4 percent from 2000 to 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control. These new Sesame Workshop resources offer targeted online articles about issues such as interacting with parents of a child with autism and how to maintain a healthy balance while caring for an child who has autism. Additionally, Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children provides daily routine cards that simplify tasks for children, such as brushing teeth and washing hands. There is also an iPad app available on iTunes.