Kmart launches new Down syndrome dolls in ‘big win for disability representation’

The mother of a girl with Down syndrome says a children’s doll depicting the condition has the potential to show “you can live meaningful lives with a disability”.

The Sydney mother of a girl with Down syndrome has embraced the successful launch of a children’s doll depicting the condition for its potential to finally show “you can live meaningful lives with a disability”.

Paddington mum Gemma Namey’s comments come despite Australian figures showing that in some states 93 per cent of parents who had prenatal screening for the genetic disorder chose to terminate the pregnancy in the case of a positive result.

Isabelle Netto, 6, who has Down syndrome with one of the new dolls. Picture: Jonathan Ng

But Ms Namey, whose six-year-old daughter Isabelle was one of the 290 Australian children born each year with the condition, hopes a more inclusive look at the issue, thanks to toys like Kmart’s Baby Charlie with Down syndrome, will change social perceptions.

She said Isabelle has been inseparable from her new doll: “She hasn’t stopped hugging it. I hope all kids in Australia get a doll like this for Christmas.”

Ms Namey said while other retailers had made Down syndrome dolls ­before, none of the pro­­ducts were as affordable as the Kmart doll.

She said that meant “kids with disabilities aren’t in the minority, they are in the mainstream.”

“Isabelle needs to see images of people with Down syndrome throughout the community — they are part of the community. It should be there in the toys she plays with, in the people she interacts with, in schooling, everywhere she goes.”

About one in every 1100 ­babies born in Australia will have Down syndrome.

The new Charlie dolls with Down syndrome.

But Australia’s only report analysing the termination of pregnancies with Down syndrome was conducted with Western Australian parents who had prenatal screening and testing, showing that 93 per cent of ­people chose to abort.

This puts the rate on par with Denmark where 98 per cent of pregnancies with Down syndrome are terminated and Iceland where the rate is 100 per cent.

Ms Namey said she believed parents or pregnant women who choose to terminate their pregnancy after a screening are not often given an accurate picture of people living with Down syndrome — including from the medical profession.

Kmart wheelchair doll is part of an inclusive range.

The new line is being praised on social media.

“A lot of doctors have really outdated ideas,” she said.

“People who have tests are often people who are pressured into termination.

“I always say there’s never been a better time to have a child with Down syndrome. The government support with the NDIS is a game-changer.

“They are often not provided a full picture of what it’s like.

“Having dolls like this, having stories like this changes broader community perceptions. And people realise that you can live meaningful lives with a disability.”

Down Sydney Australia chief executive Dr Ellen Skladziens said the new dolls capture the diversity of the world today.

“We are pleased to see the positive steps Kmart are taking to be more inclusive. People with Down syndrome are living longer and healthier lives than ever before,” she said.