Autism Awareness Day – Meet Kenzie

March 31, 2017

Meet Kenzie. She is 3 years old, loves swinging on swings, playing games on her tablet and loving her Adora dolls. Oh, and she has autism. That doesn’t mean she is any less amazing, but that she just does things a little differently.

In honor of Autism Awareness Day, we want to share Kenzie’s story and how Adora dolls have had a positive impact in her life!

What is Autism?

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication as well as unique strengths and differences. The term “spectrum” reflects a wide variation in challenges and strengths possessed by each person with autism, because no one person is the same. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that 1 in 68 children in the U.S. have autism. This includes 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls.

Some people don’t know whether they should even say the word “autistic”, but by opening up a dialogue, we are trying to get rid of any discomfort or awkwardness. It’s time to increase understanding.

For more information please visit www.autismspeaks.org.

Autism Awareness has gained a lot of support throughout the years, Toys “R” Us Canada & UK has announced that they will host a Sensory-Friendly Shopping Hour on World Autism Awareness Day. They are planning on opening stores one hour early – during that hour, there will be no music or announcements, lighting will be dimmed and designated quiet spaces will be located throughout the store. Read more about this here.

There is even a new friend joining Sesame Street on April 10^th.

Her name is Julia. She’s a shy 4-year-old who likes to paint, pick flowers and sing songs. She’s such a good singer, that she can remember all the words to lots of songs. When Julia speaks, she often echoes what her friends Abby and Elmo say. Julia has autism.

“Julia started last year as a character in Sesame's books and digital offerings.

Sherrie Westin, an executive vice president at Sesame Workshop who oversaw the initiative, said the campaign quickly struck a chord.

‘One of my favorite stories is a mother who said that she used the book to explain to her child that she had autism like Julia,’ Westin said, shaking her head slightly as she teared up. ‘This became the tool for her to have a conversation with her 5-year-old daughter.’

‘And you'll love this. At the end her daughter said, “So I'm amazing too, right?” ’ ”

So back to Kenzie!

We came across two 5-star reviews on our website written by Denise, Kenzie’s mom. In them, she shared how our Adora dolls have impacted her daughters life.

Here’s her review about our PlayTime Baby Beary Blue:

Adorable scented baby doll soothes my autistic daughter!

"This doll is absolutely ADORABLE and my daughter completely fell in love with it. Let me just begin by saying that my daughter has autism and this doll was so wonderfully designed for her. The baby is scented to smell like a real baby which helps calm her because it soothes her sensory overload when places like stores with bright overstimulating lights. As a result, she takes this baby everywhere with her. I would highly recommend this product. It has been a wonderful addition to my child's life."

Here’s her review about our ToddlerTime Baby Little Lovey:

Beautiful doll that soothes with both weight and scent!

"This doll has very quickly become my daughter's absolute favorite doll. There are several reasons for this. First, my daughter has autism and uses weighted products such as weighted lap pads, a weighted vest and a weighted blanket as calming items when she is overstimulated. This baby doll is weighted and as such is both fun and lovable, but also can be used therapeutically for my little girl. She takes this doll with her to stores and all over the place. The weight and the amazing baby scent both are very soothing and comforting to her. She also enjoys changing the clothes and playing with her hair. This doll is not only beautiful but has become an absolute favorite for my little girl. We LOVE this doll and can't believe how well they are made. These are amazing dolls and highly recommended by our family."

Shop Now:

PlayTime Baby Beary Blue

ToddlerTime Baby Little Lovey

“We are truly moved that she can help in any way to not only represent the autism community in gaining awareness; but, that she is also able to bring attention to how wonderful the Adora dolls are at helping children who have autism due to the dolls weight and scent--both of which are being commonly used now in many ways to help autistic children with focus and anxiety issues.

She loves her dolls so much and they have made such a positive impact on her life that we take her dolls with us everywhere! She always has them within reach. And, sometimes even more than one! You can see in the slide photo that Lovey is in the swing waiting for her to come back and swing more. These dolls are just so wonderful! We are forever Adora doll fans. ❤️” - Denise, Kenzie's mom

Kenzie and her BabyTime Rainbow are inseparable!

We hope we can continue making a positive impact in people’s lives and build a community of love and joy with our Adora Family! Do you have an inspiring story with our Adora Dolls and Toys? Comment below, we love hearing from you!