In order to mainstream children with Type 1 diabetes, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the pancreatic cells that make the sugar-regulating hormone insulin, there’s a new Barbie doll representing this condition on the shop shelf. With chestnut hair and a spotted polka dress, she wears a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her upper arm that’s attached to an insulin pump on her waist, tracking her blood sugar readings in real time and administering insulin automatically. Her mobile phone displays an app showing her blood sugar readings and she has a blue purse that contains snacks to manage sugar lows throughout the day. The idea, according to a statement by its maker, Mattel, is “to enable more children to see themselves reflected and encourage doll play that extends beyond a child’s lived experience.” Calling this a milestone in toy manufacturing, Dr Aparna Ramakrishnan, consultant psychiatrist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, says, “For children with Type 1 diabetes, a toy reflecting their condition makes them feel included during school play hours. It also helps other children develop empathy rather than treat them as an oddity to be bullied or shamed. This is how disease awareness develops.” What is Type 1 diabetes and how many children are affected by it? Since Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition, where the immune system attacks the pancreas, the latter doesn’t make enough insulin. Children living with it have to take insulin by injection or through a pump to survive. The condition is chronic and often diagnosed in childhood though it can develop at any age. Approximately 97,700 children in India are affected by Type 1 diabetes, according to the US National Institutes of Health. This makes India a country with the highest number of children with Type 1 diabetes in the South-East Asia region. How can a representative doll help children with Type 1 diabetes? “Children with Type 1 diabetes can see themselves represented in the toys they play with, which shows them that they are not alone. They are heard, understood, represented in the world and this boosts their self-esteem,” says Dr Ramakrishnan. She also says the doll is an accurate representation and since it shows how to use an insulin pump or when to eat a snack, it can be an educational tool for a newly diagnosed patient. “This representation normalises their diverse experience. It improves both self-acceptance and peer acceptance besides fostering empathy and support from others around them. This gives them a sense of belonging and has a positive impact on their confidence,” adds Dr Ramakrishnan. A toy is great way to deal with stigma Children with Type 1 diabetes always experience stigma, fear and a sense of isolation. “Toys reinforce the belief that they are more than just their disease and having a disease doesn’t diminish their capability or set them apart from the rest of the world. Besides boosting a child’s self-esteem, it also builds their resilience and ability to cope with this chronic illness. Daily checking of blood sugar levels, using insulin pumps, which are accurately depicted in this version of Barbie, may help make these tasks less tedious for the children themselves and give them a sense of agency and control,” says Dr Ramakrishna. Previously, Barbie dolls have been depicted as visually challenged, with hearing aids and with a prosthetic leg. A Ken doll has been depicted with vitiligo, all for health awareness.
