DVD offered as help for autistic children

LONDON, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- A DVD on the antics of animated vehicles with human faces, designed to help autistic children, is available through a British government-based initiative.

Called "The Transporters," the DVD series cost the government nearly $889,000, the Telegraph said. The series is narrated by British actor Stephen Fry and features human faces placed onto colorful cable cars, trucks and trains.

People with autism have difficulty with empathy and the ability to identify and understand feelings. They also have problems looking other people in the eye.

A pilot trial of the video on 25 children ages 4 to 7 known to have difficulty relating to others helped them to recognize emotions after just four weeks. Because of the encouraging results, the DVD will be made available free from the National Autistic Society.

Simon Baron-Cohen, ARC director, said parents noticed a change in their children after just one month using the DVD, with improvement in their ability to recognize and explain emotions.

Each of 15 five-minute episodes focuses on a different human emotion, such as anger, fear or pride.