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Toddler With Down Syndrome Is The New Face Of Bonds Baby

By Jacintha Webster
Published on: 16:20 PST, Mar 29, 2016

Three-year-old toddler Parker Abianac has won the People’s Choice award for toddlers in the Bonds Baby Search 2016. Abianac has Down syndrome and is the first toddler with Down syndrome to win the Australia-wide competition.

Abianac won the competition dressed in a Bonds floral onesie, that according to Facebook trolls, is meant for a girl. Abianac’s mother, Kat Abianac, said she received some negativity for posting the adorable photo of Abianac online but did not let that stop her from entering her son into the 2016 Bonds Baby Search.

“I decided I would enter to show them…There is a lot of hate out there for children with Down syndrome, there’s always people out there who are willing to throw in their unwanted and unwarranted two cents worth.”

Ms. Abianac has her own blog which she uses as a platform to boost awareness of children with Down syndrome. Last year, she wrote a post explaining that she lets Parker choose his own outfits in the morning. She lays out clothes in a “range of colors, patterns and textures” for him to chose from and does not worry about what is supposed to be for boys or for girls. When she posted a sweet photo of Parker in his floral onesie to a Facebook group, the response was so rude that the comments were taken down. Most were aimed at the little boy with Down syndrome wearing a “girl’s” onesie.

“I’ve been informed he will be very angry at me when he’s 18…Because when he’s not playing with trucks and getting about in blue cloth nappies, I am busy ruining his life by dressing him up in bright colors, letting him choose his own outfits in the morning, and watching him try hats on at the grocery story.” Ms. Abianac said.

One online troll said Down Syndrome was a current trend and that Ms. Abianac was using her son’s disability according to 7 News. “Somebody wrote on there that disability is the flavor of the month and that they were making marketing dollars off my child.”

“I don’t know if they were being malicious or just rude women…They bullied him, they didn’t even know he had Down syndrome, he was wearing a hat.”

Despite the negative response to the original picture of Abianac in his floral onesie, Ms. Abianac chose to stay positive, a sentiment that Bonds shares, and entered him into the competition saying she was inspired by young Queensland model Madeline Stuart, who also has Down syndrome.

“She is lovely and a great girl and has an amazing champion in her mum…She is a talented girl. I am sure she will be proud to see Parker in the campaign.” Ms. Abianac said.

Abianac will be the face of Bonds baby and part of the advertising campaign for Bonds over the next 12 months. The Queensland mother was shocked that her son won but hopes it will stop some of the stigma about children with Down syndrome.

“[I did not think he would win] Because I think there is something like 50,000 babies who enter it.”

Ms. Abianac said that her son loves doing photo shoots, “he has so much fun.” When she told him that he had won Baby bonds he was excited and blew raspberries at her.

Ms. Abianac claims one in 660 children are born with Down syndrome and hopes that her son winning the competition will help educate people about the condition and the different types of Down syndrome. Abianac has trisomy 21, the most common form of Down syndrome, which means he was born with an extra chromosome.

“Down syndrome doesn’t mean he should not be included in the competition and it also shouldn’t be ignored.”

[Image via Baby Bonds]

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