Toddlers whose parents can’t afford diapers don’t get quality sleep.
- Insufficient supply of diapers is associated with an increased incidence of irritated skin and urinary tract infections. It is also linked to an increase in symptoms of mental disorders in the mother.
“Adequate sleep is important for the behavioral and physical health of young children and is a common concern for parents. This recovery phase promotes brain development and consolidates learning and memory. (…) But factors related to poverty create obstacles to obtaining healthy sleep”. This was reported by researchers from the State University of New Jersey (USA). For the first time, they examined the link between lack of diapers and children’s sleep in work published in the journal Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics May 2nd.
In order to carry out their study, they asked 129 parents of children aged 3 or younger about the severity of their diaper needs and their child’s sleeping habits. The authors asked them how long their children took to fall asleep, the frequency of their nighttime awakenings, their longest sleep period and their total number of minutes slept. Parents also had to report difficulties related to bedtime routines, sleep problems and their perception of the quality of their child’s sleep. The scientists also wanted to know if an intellectual disability has been diagnosed in toddlers.
Children not wearing diapers at night had disturbed and shorter sleep
According to the results, 88% of the families surveyed suffered from food insecurity and that 76% of them did not have diapers at least once a year and more than a third said they did not have them every month. . A third of toddlers had a developmental disorder and 47% of parents were concerned about their child’s development. “Lack of diapers was associated with shorter, disturbed sleep periods and lower total sleep scores in children. High diaper need was associated with parents’ perception of poor quality sleep” , can we read in the works.
According to the authors, practitioners should ask about the need for diapers during child medical visits and refer families to organizations that provide diapers. They should also advise on proper sleep practices, including quiet bedtime routines. “Children with compromised sleep are at higher risk for childhood obesity and emotional and behavioral problems.” reported Sallie Porter, author of the research, in a statement.