OBJECTIVES: to assess the prevalence of children not using diapers, the age at which toilet training started and the mother's expectations regarding the attainment of this in a cohort of births. METHODS: all children born in 2004 in the city of Pelotas, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were enrolled in a longitudinal study. At the age of 12 months they were assessed for their development. Mothers were questioned regarding the beginning of toilet training and parental expectations in relation to the age at which daytime toilet training should be completed. Differences between groups were assessed using chi-squared tests for heterogeneity and linear tendency. RESULTS: at 12 months of age 14.7% of the mothers had begun daytime toilet training. Only 2.2% of the mothers were provided guidance by pediatricians regarding cessation of diaper use. The groups of mothers with the higher prevalence of starting toilet training at 12 months were the ones from the top economic quintile, five to eight years of schooling, adolescent mothers and mothers aged over 40 years. Two thirds of the mothers believed the ideal time to cease using diapers is before 18 months of age; 1.3% of children did not use diapers during the day. CONCLUSIONS: toilet training began early in a significant number of children and an insignificant proportion of mothers received guidance from pediatricians on this. Information regarding the ideal time and adequate methods for introducing sphincter control should be offered to mothers during puerperium as part of basic health care.
Toilet training; Elimination disorders; Urinary tract infections; Enuresis; Children
