Clinical Tip: Minimizing the mess of toilet training accidents

Toddlers who are almost potty-trained still have "accidents," especially when they are out and about with their parents. Many parents don't want to put their child in diapers or pull-ups for fear that the child will regress, but they also don't want the mess of accidents. I recommend that parents put a feminine sanitary pad in the toddler's underwear before going out. The pads, which are very thin and fold down over the sides of the underpants, definitely help control stool leakage. When an accident occurs, the parent can just pull the pad out of the underwear and throw it away. This approach is much less expensive than buying diaper inserts.

Frances Yang, DOAnaheim Hills, Calif.