There are cloth nappies which the terms nappy and diaper are taken from (nappy shortened from napkin a small square cloth and diaper, the type of material used). These are rarely used today as people look for convenience and comfort.
Today the most popular incontinence products are absorbent pads and pull-up pants. Nappies/diapers today look nothing like the old version so I will use the term ‘pad’ in these paragraphs.
Every minute, approximately 300,000 disposables are discarded and end up in landfills or the environment where they will take centuries to decompose. Invented in the 1940s, disposable pads have become one of the main contributors to global plastic waste. But their convenience comes at a high cost. Made from oil-based materials, disposable nappies contain harmful chemicals like PFAS (also known as Forever Chemicals) which have been linked to developmental delays, increased risk of cancer, reduced immune system function, reproductive issues, hormonal imbalances, and higher cholesterol levels.
Growing consumer awareness and concerns led to the reusable pad brands’ emergence in the 1990s. These brands use 100% plant-based top and back sheets, chlorine-free sustainably certified pulp, and recyclable or compostable packaging. Using renewable sources and practising greener manufacture and operations, Eco pads have a lower carbon and chemical input than normal oil-based plastic versions and avoid adding fragrances or perfumes (i.e. irritant chemicals) but are more expensive.
More than four in five new parents choose to use exclusively disposables and wipes and this could be due to cost and availability. The onus is on companies to meet the environmental demands of this century. To change how they make disposable pads and not pass the cost of those changes onto the customer.
Companies need to provide more sustainable options for families, whether it be a more environmentally -friendly disposable or a reusable option.
From a waste perspective, reusable pull-ups/ pads are superior to disposables. Just 30 to 50 reusables will cover birth to potty training for multiple children, compared to 4000-6000 disposables for one child and they have a lower carbon footprint,
For hundreds of years, babies lived nappy-free and elimination communication remains dominant in some non-industrialised societies.
Over the last few decades, there has been a significant shift in the age at which children are toilet trained. It is now common to see 3-year-olds still relying on pads, and even 4-year-olds using them as a regular means of elimination. The advancement of modern pads has made them both convenient and comfortable for children, eliminating any potential discomfort associated with traditional methods. This ease of use may also contribute to delays in potty training, as children do not feel the urgency to learn how to use the toilet. Furthermore, modern pads have a higher absorbency rate, requiring fewer changes throughout the day. This convenience often outweighs the effort and patience needed for toilet training, especially for busy parents. Additionally, the slim design makes them less noticeable under clothing, reducing any potential embarrassment for both parents and their older toddlers. And with the current trend towards more permissive and child-centred parenting, many parents choose to wait until their child shows interest in toilet training before beginning the process.
Elimination communication is learned communication—learning how to sense a baby’s way of saying that they need to go. With a little practice and a lot of tuning into their bodily cues, it is possible to hold your baby over a potty or the toilet at exactly the right time. Although the goal is more about attachment forming than toilet training, elimination communication often frees a toddler sooner than their pad-clad peers.
Summer is a great time to try this method, but accidents may happen so it’s important to be patient and understanding. Ultimately, we must consider the long-term impact of our choices on our children’s health and the environment.
What can you do to help children who are neurodivergent ?
Some benefit from visual support :https://eric.org.uk/…/Toilet-visual-schedule_compressed…
Some benefit from Youtube videos https://youtu.be/FuEOVu6U4CI
Some benefit from watching Sesame Street ‘Potty Time’ https://youtu.be/u1DugrrAxIg
Some benefit from Social Stories https://www.tn.gov/…/SampleSocialStory_Toileting.pdf
and finally ,some benefit from receiving rewards ( obviously the reward is up to you, the parent).
Children whose neurodivergence includes a learning or physical disability may wear pads throughout their life but not necessarily so. It may take longer to train them but it is a life skill and one they deserve to be offered
