Number of diaper dermatitis cases on the rise

Rawalpindi: The number of cases of infants with diaper dermatitis or diaper rash is on the rise mainly because of the use of poor quality diapers which are on sale in almost all wholesale and retail markets of town.

Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that there is no check on sale or import of substandard or poor quality diapers while a number of brands of diapers, mostly unregistered and unknown are on sale in almost all wholesale and retail markets in the region.

According to health experts, all brands of diapers available in markets are not safe to use as many of the brands cause rashes among infants which are not curable without proper management.

Health experts say that another reason behind increase in number of cases of diaper rash is that a good percentage of mothers are not aware of the problems, wet diapers can cause. Many mothers do not remove diapers in time in result of which a baby has to suffer prolonged contact with faeces and urine particularly in cases of diarrhoea that causes problems.

It is important that the concerned government authorities take the sale of diapers as general items and not as medicated items and hence there has not been any check on sale of substandard and poor quality diapers.

Paediatricians serving at paediatrics departments of Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Holy Family Hospital are of the view that the incidence of diaper dermatitis has increased and the main reasons behind it is use of poor quality diapers and delay in removal of a wet diaper.

It is also observed that the type of dermatitis caused by the use of poor quality diapers responds poorly to drugs and takes much time to cure and that too after stopping the use of the diaper whose material may contain toxins or allergens. However, the matter has not been taken seriously by any of the government authorities.

It is worth mentioning here that none of the government authorities has been working on checking quality of diapers on sale in markets nor there is any check on sale of diapers dumped for months and even years in go-downs. Also no government authority is working on checking sale of diapers that contain substandard material, toxins or allergens.

According to paediatricians, it is also observed that the use of some diapers causes dermatitis even if they are removed well in time prior to getting wet that hints that the material used in preparing these diapers is of poor quality.

Many health experts say that the government authorities should not take sale of diapers as general items instead diapers should be included in the list of medicated items to safeguard infants, children and elderly patients from complications. Quality of diapers on sale in markets must be ensured as these are used by vulnerable population, infants, children and patients, mostly in old age, said the experts.