What do you guys think about these Disability Dolls?

[Thomcat]

Dolls with Down's syndrome, blind dolls, chemotherapy dolls, dolls with prosthetic limbs, etc.

What do you think?

Article on them here

My first thought was "I don't like them" I then thought maybe is schools/playgroups had them it would help children understand more.

DS1 was reading about them and ask if they were going to do a tourettes one, pull the cord and woof, chirp click

i think they are a good idea.

i heard about molly dolly's for children who had had heart surgery, they come with scars.

i think that dolls are great. i wished we could've got one complete with LVAD to explain it to the girls when peter had his surgery.

I think dolls to help children deal with having chemotherapy is a good thing.
A doll with Down's syndrome???
Especially one with a protruding tounge????
Not sure what good a doll with Down's syndrome will really do. I know that the DSA have fought for people with DS to be included into society and it's all about choice etc, but - a doll with a protruding tounge, a simian crease in the hand - Not sure. I won't be buying one, I do know that.

this is what I wrote on the other thread:

honestly? I think the idea is horrible and I wouldn't buy one. And before I get lynched by the masses for coming out and saying it that bluntly, here's
why...

It's one thing having a chemo doll, an amputee doll, to help children who are going through the experience by being able to show them what is going to happen
to them etc.

But imo toys should be toys. Children should play with a doll because it's a doll, not because it's black or chinese or has a prosthetic leg or looks like
a child with downs. In fact a "downs doll" only tells half the story surely? Because what the child looks like doesn't even begin to reflect what the disability
is really like.

I wouldn't buy such a doll for someone with one of the above mentioned disabilities, because I think that by giving say, a child with DS a doll with DS
just reiterates to that child that everything about their lives should be in a disabled bubble, even down to the toys they play with.

so basically, nothing wrong with having dolls as assistance tools, but certainly not as toys imo.

and this is what I wrote:

My dd2 has a condition that has facial characteristics, and if they did one with hers, I suspect that I would buy it, amongst others. Then it would just be part of her dolls, not a big deal, she could chose to play with it or not.

I specifically bought my dd2 a brown doll to balance out the pink blonde dollies, and she chose to make that one her favourite.

I don't see this as doing any more than making the dolly world slightly less homogenous.

and have added this:

however, I saw the feature in the guardian, and the DS dolls with the protruding tongues stood out for me too, as not being that representative of DS. Maybe they have a variety of dolls and chose the one with the most features to spotlight? I don't know.

I think as a childminder the whole issue for me is to provide equality of resources for children to play with, Ie that all the toys reflect society. Young children do ask questions when they see someone who is disabled especially if they haven't seen a disabled person before. yes that sounds horrid but its what children do. Thats why I would and do have a range of both disabilty dolls and multicultural dolls so that they children are educated to realise that everybody is the same but different! I got my downs doll from www.theequaloppshop.co.uk Being soft its a more gentle approach to discussing Downs syndrome with the children, It promotes conversations which is good.

TC - what bout these ones

here

I would probably buy one of these.