(This story is getting some play. ABC News did a story about the dolls June 27).From The Times in the UK:
People who are making and selling the dolls:
You'll probably notice almost immediately that its face is not as “regular” as the rosebud-mouthed, snub-nosed dolls that come as standard in toy shops. But if you picked it up and examined it more closely, you'd see that they are not the only features that you don't find on a “normal” doll: a horizontal crease in the palm of the hand, the ears set low on the head, a flattened bridge across the nose, a slightly protruding tongue.
This is a Down's syndrome doll, designed with the aim of giving Down's children a toy that reflects themselves as they are, and not the mainstream version of physical perfection trailblazed by the likes of Barbie and Baby Annabel.
They are not the only “disability dolls” available on the market. Far from it. You can buy dolls with prosthetic limbs, walking frames, hearing aids, “blind” dolls complete with guide dogs. When Mattel launched Becky - Barbie's friend in a wheelchair - it sold out within two weeks. In the past few years, the toy industry has been waking up to the fact that it makes good financial sense to cater for overlooked consumer groups.
Carol Boys, chief executive of the Down's Syndrome Association in the UK, says: “Anything that helps to 'normalise' Down's syndrome and promote inclusivity has to be a good thing. If the Down's syndrome dolls give joy to those with the condition and their siblings, we fully support them. However, there is a range of products on the market of varying quality and accuracy, so we would advise people to purchase with care.” Boys adds that it is difficult to know with any certainty what Down's children generally think of such toys: “We have no idea what they think of such dolls, because there has never been any research done to find out.”
However, some professionals have their reservations. Jenni Smith, a chartered educational psychologist in London, says: “I feel that children who have disabilities, including children with Down's syndrome, tend to see themselves as ‘like everyone else' and to offer a toy that ‘looks like them' may only emphasise the difference.”
People who are making and selling the dolls:
- Helga Parks creates dolls with Down syndrome. She sells them at: downsyndromedolls.com. Some derogatory and offensive remarks about her dolls have been flying around the Internet (one blogger said: “The whole thing just reeks of a bad joke”) so Parks put a disclaimer on her Web site. Mostly, she says, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. She has added a line of dolls called “Chemo Friends” for children undergoing chemotherapy. The hairless dolls come with a built-in port below the collarbone, so kids can learn what a catheter is.
- Donna Moore's company Downi Creations, downicreations.com, produces eight different types of dolls with Down syndrome. Some professionals use the dolls when working with new parents or children with Down syndrome.
Two other articles on The Times Web site describe different reactions to the dolls.
