11-year-olds still wearing diapers in schools, Swiss teachers stressed over 'worrying trend'

The average age to potty train children is between 18 months and 24 months, but many parents seem to be avoiding the training session.

Teachers in Switzerland are worried about grown-up kids wearing diapers in school as the staff is fed up assisting the children to deal with the soiled ones. As many school-going kids up to 11-year-olds do not know how to use the toilet, the number of such students coming in diapers to school has “skyrocketed.”

Kids wearing diapers in school has “skyrocketed,” child development expert said. (AP/ Representative image)

“Kids are going to school as early as 4 years old now, so yeah, you might actually find some still in diapers,” Dagmar Rösler, head of the Swiss Federation of Teachers, told the Swiss newspaper 20 Minuten, reported the New York Times.

“When 11-year-olds come to school in diapers, that’s a worrying trend,” she added.

Children coming to school with diapers become problematic to the staff as they are required to step in to help kids manage soaked diapers.

Parents have a responsibility to make sure their school-aged kids aren’t wearing diapers anymore. Teachers aren’t there to change their students’ diapers. That’s crossing a line, she said.

According to Mayo Clinic, the average age to potty train children is between 18 months and 24 months, but many parents seem to be avoiding the training session.

“Some parents let it slide because diapers are a convenient relief. It’s not seen as a problem these days,” said educational scientist Margrit Stamm. “That sends a totally wrong message.”

Kids wearing diapers in school has “skyrocketed,” child development expert Rita Messmer told the Sonntagszeitung, revealing she had an 11-year-old patient who wasn’t taught how to use the toilet on their own.