Thank You Sesame Street
Dear Production Team at Sesame Workshop,
My family and I had the opportunity to watch the episode, "Meet Julia" this morning. It was a thoughtful and well produce segment introducing children to Autism. I want to thank you for how you created Julia's character and for how you designed the episode.
First, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the mother of a five year old little boy with Autism named Jack. He loves Sesame Street and we watch your shows often. Jack was diagnosed with Autism at the age of four after struggling with sensory issues, lack of eye contact, stimming, and communication difficulties. Jack, thanks to the hard work of teachers, therapists, and his parents, is like Julia, making friends and interacting with the world around him more every day.
First, I want to thank you for how you constructed Julia's character. Julia is kind and affectionate. She desires interaction and friendship. She wants to play tag and engage the world around her. In this way, she is like every preschooler.
But it would not have been an episode about Autism if Julia didn't have struggles preschoolers don't typically experience. You showed and explained sensory issues beautifully. She doesn't like the "feel" of finger paint, so she uses a brush. A siren sends her into a meltdown. You portray communication difficulties seamlessly, by explaining to Elmo and Abby, she may not respond to her name when you speak to her. You also showed echolalia, Julia's primary response to questions was repetition of phrases around her. To your credit, you did not paint this as disengagement from her surroundings, but showed her repeating phrases as a way to engage, when she otherwise wouldn't have had the words. Lastly, you showed stimming, a repetitive motion used to stimulate the senses, as something unique to Julia. She liked to flap her hands and jump, which she did while playing an ordinary activity, tag.
I also want to thank you for how you produced the episode. You showed that persons with Autism need our help, support, and understanding. You answered Elmo and Abbys questions with candor and simplicity, never making Julia seem less than, just different. You also showed that Autistic behaviors can be upsetting and hurtful for others, when you showed Big Bird upset over Julia's sensory meltdown. He needed to understand it wasn't personal. Lastly, you showed an adult helping her deal with her meltdown by taking a sensory break in a safe place. And showing that calming down from a meltdown is not much different than any child dealing with something that causes anxiety.
I asked Jack at the end of the episode what he shared with Julia and he didn't say Autism, he said, "We have a heart." Well done Sesame Workshop, well done.
My family and I had the opportunity to watch the episode, "Meet Julia" this morning. It was a thoughtful and well produce segment introducing children to Autism. I want to thank you for how you created Julia's character and for how you designed the episode.
First, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the mother of a five year old little boy with Autism named Jack. He loves Sesame Street and we watch your shows often. Jack was diagnosed with Autism at the age of four after struggling with sensory issues, lack of eye contact, stimming, and communication difficulties. Jack, thanks to the hard work of teachers, therapists, and his parents, is like Julia, making friends and interacting with the world around him more every day.
First, I want to thank you for how you constructed Julia's character. Julia is kind and affectionate. She desires interaction and friendship. She wants to play tag and engage the world around her. In this way, she is like every preschooler.
But it would not have been an episode about Autism if Julia didn't have struggles preschoolers don't typically experience. You showed and explained sensory issues beautifully. She doesn't like the "feel" of finger paint, so she uses a brush. A siren sends her into a meltdown. You portray communication difficulties seamlessly, by explaining to Elmo and Abby, she may not respond to her name when you speak to her. You also showed echolalia, Julia's primary response to questions was repetition of phrases around her. To your credit, you did not paint this as disengagement from her surroundings, but showed her repeating phrases as a way to engage, when she otherwise wouldn't have had the words. Lastly, you showed stimming, a repetitive motion used to stimulate the senses, as something unique to Julia. She liked to flap her hands and jump, which she did while playing an ordinary activity, tag.
I also want to thank you for how you produced the episode. You showed that persons with Autism need our help, support, and understanding. You answered Elmo and Abbys questions with candor and simplicity, never making Julia seem less than, just different. You also showed that Autistic behaviors can be upsetting and hurtful for others, when you showed Big Bird upset over Julia's sensory meltdown. He needed to understand it wasn't personal. Lastly, you showed an adult helping her deal with her meltdown by taking a sensory break in a safe place. And showing that calming down from a meltdown is not much different than any child dealing with something that causes anxiety.
I asked Jack at the end of the episode what he shared with Julia and he didn't say Autism, he said, "We have a heart." Well done Sesame Workshop, well done.
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