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Children with autism are welcome on Sesame Street Sesame Street has been working with Autism Speaks and Autism Self Advocacy to build awareness of autism with the introduction of a new character called Julia. Julia is the first Sesame Street character with autism. For 45 years, Sesame Street has been teaching kids about the people and places around them. Autism affects 1 out of every 68 children born in the US, so autism is part of the fabric of the community that surrounds every child. Although autism is quite prevalent, it’s not broadly understood. To further complicate the issue, autism [...]

Has a simple and accurate diagnostic test for autism been right in front of our eyes the whole time? A simple penlight pupil test that is commonly used by pediatricians may be able to diagnose autism disorder according to a Washington State University study. This simple test may lead to a physiological measurement of autism. Currently, autism is diagnosed with a somewhat subjective behavioral evaluation which cannot be confirmed until the child is 2 to 3 years old. Valuable early intervention time is lost waiting for this type of diagnosis which is why an ordinary penlight pupil test for autism [...]

Understanding Autism During a recent broadway show of “The King and I” a young boy with autism started screaming loudly. The interruption happened during a particularly intense yet quiet scene in the second act. Members of the audience were angered and insisted that the mother and child be removed even though the mother was already trying desperately to take her defiant child away. The horrified mother pleaded with her son to calm down and to let go of the railing that her son held on to so tightly. Broadway star, Kelvin Moon Loh, was absolutely appalled. Not at the mother and [...]