Martin Kittsteiner, a German toymaker, has created a line of stuffed toys that each have their own disease and symptoms, “and comes with a medical history, referral letter and treatment plan.” He hopes the toys will help families with children suffering from mental illnesses.
This is Kroko, who suffers from paranoid psychosis:
Go to his website to see the others, including a severely depressed turtle.
I wish Kittsteiner had a cuddly obsessive-compulsive toy. What do you think it should be?
JACKIE LEA SOMMERS 
What an incredibly awesome and creative idea! I bet that is so comforting to kids. Never mind the kids, I want one! ha ha No OCD toy, huh? I’m surprised as I believe it is the fourth most common mental illness diagnosis, and it is not uncommon in children.
I think it should be a cat. Cats are definitely what I would call the nervous type. Always jumping at the littlest sound. They can be a little obsessive when it comes to grooming too! Plus, when they are sick, they usually hide their symptoms. I think it’s a self-protection tool. That way other animals won’t notice that they are vulnerable. I’ve been told by a vet that when a cat finally displays symptoms of illness, it is because they are very, very sick. Hmmmm . . . kinda sounds like OCD.
Hi Sunny! Love that idea!!!
haha! That is sooo cool! I think the OCD animal should be…a woodpecker? lol
Sunny, that’s what I was thinking–it should be a cat! You’re right about them hiding illnesses. And my cat Sam scratches the side of the litter box continously after a visit, then sometimes scratches the door when she gets out, even though she’ not covering anything. Poor baby.
haha…this is super entertaining!
Fantastic idea!
Not a bad idea IF the kid already has the illness. Kids are very impressionable and they can be easily persuaded to believe they have something that they don’t, so introducing this to a kid without a context could make them question if they are like that stuffed animal. Interesting idea. I think an OCD one should be a mouse. If you watch them, they are very meticulous about how they build their nests and they do run on wheels with no goal in sight…
Dear Jackieleasommers,
I take your point, If people are the same when they die…as they were when they were on earth…wouldn’t they still be mentally ill after they die? (I know the skeptics will say they don’t have a brain…but maybe they don’t need a brain after they die.Maybe your brain is only used to hold your spirit thoughts. Maybe your body is like a toy robot and your spirit is like its battery.)
Wishes
I don’t believe that I will be the same in the afterlife as I am now!