This month, we have focused on popper vests for older children.

Our panel is trialling a selection of popper vests, bodysuits and sleepsuits from Marks & Spencer, Wonsie and Rackety’s.

It is very common for babies and younger children still in nappies to wear popper vests.

However, when children with additional needs out grow the popper vests which are widely and cheaply available up to the age of 3 in most supermarkets and clothing stores, parents often struggle to source similar vests or bodysuits for older children.

There are many reasons why parents and carers prefer to continue to use the poppered vests rather than standard vests with their children still in nappies these can include comfort & warmth to hide nappies as well as to prevent stripping, nappy dipping, smearing and eating poo.

Annabel McMahon from Rackety’s commented, ‘These are very common problems but each parent who experiences them for the first time feels very isolated, they don’t realise how common the problem actually is.’

According Annabel, Rackety’s customers report three main reasons why their products are so invaluable:

1. Keeping warm, comfortable, dry, dignified, hiding nappies once children (and adults) are past the standard age for being dry.

2. Preventing hands in nappies, inappropriate behaviour in public, keeping a child from playing with their poo and smearing.

3. Tube access, this works both ways, the problem of allowing parents access to the tubes, especially in public, and the reverse problem of keeping the kids from pulling at the tubes or worse still tugging them out so they have to go back to hospital and have further surgery.

If you use any of these, which poppered vests, bodysuits and sleepsuits worked best?