American Girl Company Finds Huge Success With Diabetes Care Kit For Dolls

The diabetes care kit, a new accessory from the popular American Girl doll company, has become so popular with its young clientele that the kit has sold out online repeatedly.

The $24 kit is aimed at children whose type 1 diabetes requires them to carefully monitor their own blood sugar levels and take daily insulin shots, and includes a set of doll-sized tools for diabetes care: a blood sugar monitor and lancing device, an insulin pump, an insulin pen, a medical bracelet, glucose tablets, a log book, a carrying case, an ID card, and stickers for personalization.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is typically brought on by a poor diet and a lack of physical activity, type 1 diabetes is a genetic, lifelong disorder that cannot be remedied with healthy eating and exercise. According to the latest available data from the American Diabetes Association, nearly 20,000 Americans under the age of 20 have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

As of 2013, the ADA estimates that the direct medical costs for all Americans suffering from either type of diabetes — approximately 30 million people — is $176 billion.

So far, the health-conscious, inclusive toy has been met with an outpouring of gratitude from families around the country. "My daughter loves American [Girl] products, so when I [saw] this diabetic kit I had to get her it," one mother wrote. "She's five years old and has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes for almost a year now. It really makes checking her sugar a little better. Thank you for making this!"