Diapers are an integral part of clothing for babies and are similar to underpants. They catch the excrement and are then washed or disposed of. Diapers are necessary until the growing child can safely control excretion independently. Diapers are also used for incontinent patients in adulthood.
What is a diaper?
Nowadays, diapers are mostly disposable diapers that are extremely absorbent and can collect both urine and stool. The diaper is a highly absorbent body that is shaped like underpants and wrapped around the abdomen. It replaces underwear and is discarded once the wearer has passed stool or urine. Today’s disposable diaper is just under a century old. In the past, cloth diapers were used, which were boiled at high temperatures after use for hygienic reasons. Since this was costly, diapers were often used infrequently. Nowadays, diapers are mostly disposable diapers that are extremely absorbent and can collect both urine and stool. They are largely used on babies and toddlers. As another variant for baby hygiene, there are swim diapers for children. Comatose or aging patients also need diapers for short periods or permanently because they cannot control their excretions independently or safely enough. People with paraplegia are also dependent on diapers throughout their lives. In these cases, diapers are classified as incontinence hygiene.
Forms, types and styles
Diapers can be basically divided into disposable and reusable. The reusable diaper is made of cloth and has Velcro and snaps, so it is similar in structure to the disposable diaper. However, it is washed after use and cleaned with the boil wash. The far more common manifestation is the disposable diaper, which has almost completely replaced the cloth diaper today. Disposable diapers are used only once and consist of an outer shell made of polyethylene and the extremely absorbent core. Nowadays, polymer salts are mostly used for the latter, as they are capable of absorbing many times their own material volume. Due to scientific developments, diapers for babies are no longer as thick as they were a few decades ago, bind odors very effectively, and in some cases do not leak for many hours. The absorbent layer of the diaper is additionally treated with substances such as kerosene or Vaseline to safely prevent the liquid from leaking out of the core again. While the variant for babies and toddlers is called a diaper, the variant for elderly or patient care is called protective pants. In addition, there are special forms for the respective area of application, for example, waterproof swimming diapers or even more absorbent diapers for the night.
Structure and mode of operation
Nowadays, disposable and reusable diapers differ from each other only in the material. Both have a superabsorbent core in the intimate zone as the core of the diaper, which is applied as tightly as necessary. The rest of the diaper, made either of cloth or tear-resistant, thin polyethylene, is used for fastening. Cloth diapers have Velcro and snaps for this purpose, single-use diapers use sturdy adhesive strips. If the patient has to pass stool or urine, liquid components flow directly into the diaper core and are immediately bound by the polymer salts there. Protection against leakage is provided by the coating of the diaper in the intimate area, which prevents liquid components from leaving the superabsorbent core again. Cloth diapers, on the other hand, can leak if they are too full for too long and the fabric is no longer absorbent. The diaper is then changed and replaced with a new diaper after cleaning the intimate area. In this way, the intimate area remains clean even if the patient cannot control his or her excretions on his or her own or not yet completely on his or her own. Special forms of the diaper also provide this protection, for example, when the wearer cannot go to the toilet because of his or her work (for example, astronauts, racing cyclists, and, more rarely, doctors during extremely long surgical procedures).
Medical and health benefits
The diaper allows for a much more hygienic everyday situation for individuals who are unable to control their elimination mechanism to go to the bathroom in a timely manner. While adults could still report when something has gone wrong, babies and toddlers cannot. The diaper, if changed frequently enough, is not a problem hygienically and even tends to create a more hygienic daily routine. To prevent health problems caused by the diaper, it must be changed sufficiently often: at least after the last excretion, and sometimes even every two hours for babies. The protection of the health aspect differs significantly between babies and adults. For adults, often only a quick cleaning at diaper change and thorough showering or bathing on a daily basis is sufficient. Babies, on the other hand, have very sensitive skin that can be attacked by aggressive excretions. That’s why a thorough cleaning with water or wet wipes is done every time the diaper is changed. In addition, there are diaper creams especially for infants that protect the skin or counteract an aggravation of already existing irritations with panthenol or zinc. A special case is diaper dermatitis, which can occur in babies: this needs consistent treatment with suitable diaper creams. Since no health problems are to be feared if the diaper area is properly cared for and diapers are changed sufficiently frequently, diapers are the best option, from a nursing point of view, for incontinent patients to achieve a normal daily routine and maintain hygiene despite the lack of control over the body’s excretions.
