'We're all amazing': Sesame Street welcomes first autistic character

Sesame Street's new character is Julia, a little girl with autism.

Sesame Workshop - the show's online education site - say she is being introduced to help challenge the stigma associated with the disorder.

They also hope she will help children and parents who are dealing with autism.

Julia won't feature in the television show, but she will be included in Sesame Street's digital and printed storybooks.

In an interview with People Magazine, the Workshop explained why:

Sesame Workshop's online videos and interactive storybooks explain what having autism is like from the perspective of a child with the disorder.

The Workshop hopes to highlight similarities among children, rather than focusing on differences, ultimately creating greater awareness and empathy for those with autism.

Sesame Workshop features a number of other useful resources for those living with autism. These include 'daily routine cards' which help families avoid stressful situations like trying new food or crossing the street.

Find out more here: http://autism.sesamestreet.org/