Finding Big Kid Diapers, Pull-Ups and Youth Pants for your Child with ASD

“Does Declan have Medical Assistance?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, great.  My son was in second grade when he started using the potty.  I was told by the school that because he has Medical Assistance, I could get free diapers for him when he was 5, I think.  I don’t know the quality of the diapers, we stuck with the ones we always used.  But just keep in mind, that is always an option.”

“Oh, that’s good to know – thanks!”

I had that conversation with another special needs parent when Declan was 3 years old.  And all I could think was, “Gosh, I hope he is out of a diaper by then and I never have to worry about qualifying for free diapers.”

Turns out, when Declan was 5 years old, he was still in a diaper.

Declan has always been a big kid.  I needed to buy big diapers.  I was finding they were very hard to come by.

I never pursued the diapers covered by Medical Assistance.  Like my friend, I also stuck with diapers that I knew did not bother Declan’s sensitive skin.

The ones I used for Declan were the Pampers Cruisers.  They came in a size 7, which is what we needed.  They did not bother Declan’s skin and, best of all, they fit.

The other diaper we used were the GoodNites.  Declan didn’t just wear those at night, he wore them during the day too.  I liked that they were more of a pull up to help push the independence associated with potty training.

Thankfully, one year ago, when Declan turned 6, he mastered the potty.

But I recognize that others may still be in the process.  And finding a store that sells the right size and brand to cover a big kid can be a challenge.  At this point, if Declan were still in a diaper, I would have to order them as the stores near me do not carry the L-XL size he would need.

Autism Parenting Magazine sent me this infographic on the subject.  If you click the image you will be taken to their page where you can learn about the topic.  Check it out!