Potty Training Age Facts

In 1997 a researcher from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, studied 482 healthy toddlers between 18 and 30 months of age to see how long before they are potty trained.

Study findings reveal that:

• 4% of the children were potty trained by age 2
• 22% by 2.5 years
• 60% by 3 years
• 88% by 3.5 years of age
• 2% were not trained at 4 years old
• Boys tend to train later than girls. 48% of boys were not trained until after 3 years old compared to 30% of girls.

On May 4, 2000 the Wall Street Journal reported that, "children now wear diapers until they are 36 to 42 months old, some 6 months longer than they did 16 years ago." In that year (1985) disposable diaper manufacturers introduced the super absorbent gelling material in their diapers. The ad's new jingle was "even when they're wet, they're dry." This chemical gel is thought by some to be a hindrance to potty training.

Results of a 1996 national survey of diaper service customers revealed that babies diapered in cotton potty train much sooner - on average at 30 months of age.