The efficacy of a wetting alarm diaper for toilet training of young healthy children in a day-care center: a randomized control trial.

AIMS: To evaluate, in a randomized controlled way, the use of a daytime wetting alarm in a day-care center during three consecutive weeks in healthy children.

METHODS: Thirty-nine healthy young children, between 18 and 30 months old, were selected at random for a wetting alarm diaper training (n = 27) or control wearing a placebo alarm (n = 12). Toilet behavior was observed during a period of 10 hr by independent observers before, at the end of, and 2 weeks after training. Children were defined as completing daytime toilet training when the child wore undergarments, showed awareness of a need to void, initiated the toileting without prompts or reminder from the trainer and had maximum one leakage accident per day.

RESULTS: Children in the wetting alarm diaper training group achieved independent bladder control in 51.9% and did significantly better than in the control group (8.3%) (P = 0.013). The results were sustained during the following 14 days (P = 0.013).

CONCLUSION: The wetting alarm diaper training is an effective option for toilet training young healthy children in a day-care center. It offers day-care providers clear guidelines and limits the time to complete toilet training in many children without putting too much burden on the child and the day-care center activities.