Program uses an avatar to teach autistic children about facial expressions

Individuals who suffer from autism often exhibit development difficulties in social and learning settings. In turn, this often hinders how they perceive the world around them, which can lead to trouble interacting with others.

However, a new program is taking autistic children into a virtual world where they control an avatar, which is a computerized character of the person controlling it, news station WFAA reports.

Experts told the news source that autistic children can get a taste of what real-world situations are like. For instance, they can talk to each other in virtual coffee shops or participate in a job interview. They added that four or five sessions in this world may be worth two or three years of real world training.

Most children who suffer from autism have difficulties recognizing and understanding facial expressions. However, this program allows its participants to see in a virtual setting how their choices affect a person's emotions.

Therapeutic boarding schools can offer services such as these to help autistic children learn the basics of understanding emotions. Early detection and intervention, such as cognitive therapy, can be crucial to minimizing the symptoms of the disorder.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with autism each year.