Sesame Street Adds Julia, A Character With Autism

Julia, a muppet with autism, is the newest character to join the Sesame Street family. Introduced in, Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children she is being described by the network as a character that, “does things a little differently when playing with her friends,” and explains how children can interact with a person with autism.

This initiative will be part of the Sesame Street App and has been in development for over three years. In an interview with People, Sesame Street executive, Sherrie Westin, said, “Some people don’t even know whether they’re even supposed to say the word autistic. By opening up a dialogue, we are trying to get rid of any discomfort or awkwardness. It’s time to increase understanding.”

Because children with autism tend to gravitate towards digital media, it made sense to develop Julia in the digital world. We can’t wait to see Julia learn and grown with her Sesame Street friends.