Sesame Street has introduced its first Muppet with autism via an online storybook.
The new Muppet with autism on Sesame Street is named Julia and she is first seen the story We’re Amazing 1, 2, 3. The story has Elmo introducing Julia to Abby and explaining her condition and what to expect. The character is designed to bring attention to children with autism, which is one out of every 68 children, reports The Washington Post.
The introduction of Julia to Sesame Street is part of the show’s Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children effort. This effort looks to inform children and adults about kids with autism. The effort is being helped with input from parents of kids with autism, The Washington Post notes.
“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,” Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of U.S. social impact, told People Magazine about the Sesame Street project.
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