Families in poverty are debilitated by ‘diaper price increases’!

People find it frustrating that prices for products and services are rising so quickly across the nation. Families who are trying to make ends meet and those who are below the poverty line are negatively impacted by it. Nationwide, the price of a pack of diapers has climbed by an average of 16% this year.

For a child’s health and development, clean diapers are crucial. The National Diaper Bank Network estimates that the average child will use 11,000 diapers during their first few years of life. Families will likely spend $100 a month on diapers for each child in 2021. This results in a lot of parents either reusing diapers or leaving their babies in soiled diapers longer than is necessary, which can cause diaper rash, infections, and other health issues. Babies who cry after being in a soiled diaper for a long time run a higher risk of developing life-long problems.

One in three American families struggles to buy enough diapers for their infant. Diaper need hurts the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of children and families, a frequently hidden effect of poverty. No additional government programmes, including Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which low-income families frequently rely on, cover the cost of diapers and diaper-related goods for children (SNAP). This barrier generates a significant demand, particularly during crises like the one we have seen this year.

In Oklahoma, communities who are already struggling disproportionately suffer from diaper need. For families to use child care facilities, a reliable supply of diapers is frequently a prerequisite, which prevents many parents from being able to work or further their education. The poorest 20% of Americans who routinely buy diapers spend over 14% of their after-tax income on diapers and related supplies, according to a Center for Economic and Policy Research research.

There is no excuse for ignoring or undervaluing a need this serious. Through a collaboration between Infant Crisis Services (ICS) and the National Diaper Bank Network, Oklahoma will observe National Diaper Need Awareness Week from September 29 to October 2 with proclamations signed by both Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma and the mayor of Oklahoma City, David Holt.

For Infant Crisis Services, recognising diaper needs is nothing new. For the first four years of a child’s life, the group has been giving youngsters in central Oklahoma a week’s worth of food, formula, and diapers up to four times annually. The organisation is located in the centre of Oklahoma City, and its two BabyMobile units go to 23 counties, covering 30% of the state. In the past three years, during over 60,000 client visits, Infant Crisis Services has distributed 2.4 million diapers. Only the benevolence of Oklahoman philanthropists has made this influence possible.

The number of people who require the nonprofit’s assistance has increased by 27% since last year. This is primarily due to the sharp inflation-related cost rise and the widespread scarcity of infant formula we saw this spring and summer. Families absolutely require diapers, and every child’s health and development depend on them being dry at all times.