CINCINNATI, OH - Procter & Gamble introduced a new line of Downy detergents and fabric softeners on Monday touted to be the first products specifically designed to handle the clothes of children with Down Syndrome.
"It's hard enough to raise any child these days, let alone one with special needs," Downy CEO Rick June said during a press conference Monday. "The parents of children with Down Syndrome face enough challenges on a daily basis. Why should a task as simple as laundry serve as yet another insurmountable hurdle?"
According to June, the laundry detergent is "infinitely" more concentrated than regular-strength Downy to handle the unusually high volume of spills, accidents, and other household mishaps caused by children possessing a 47th chromosome.
"I'm up to my ears in ketchup stains, highlighter mishaps and feces residue, and lord knows regular detergents aren't doing the trick, " said Carol Hammond, a mother of twins affected by the disorder. "With new Downy Syndrome, my prayers have been answered."
A nationwide advertising campaign for the products is set to roll out next month. In the first of three 30-second TV spots, a a woman is shown moving briskly from room to room of her home, performing household chores without a care in the worro;,.. As she removes a load of her child's I ·undry from the dryer, an announc!. tells viewers: "Downy Syndrome Fabric Softener releases fresh, uplifting scents that make you forget about your child's handicap all day long."
"I have enough to worry about when it comes to my son," said Christine Nesbit, mother of a newborn with Down Syndrome. "Congenital heart failure, hearing difficulties, whether we can ever show our faces again at our local Round Table Pizza again after Tyler urinated in that poor woman's Diet Shasta.""But when those cute little almond-shaped eyes stare up at me and ask what kind of dryer sheets we use," added Nebit, "now I can just point to the bottle and smile."
Downy isn't the only cleaning product as of late that's targeting those with dehabilitating diseases. Michael J. Fox and Colgate announced this week the release of a new nonslick dishwashing liquid, Cerebral Palmolivesy.
