Pelvic Health for Children
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy for Children
Does your child suffer from bedwetting, daytime leakage or constipation? If your child is struggling to control their bladder and bowels, pelvic floor physiotherapy can help.
Although bladder and bowel issues in kids can often be brushed off by well-meaning family members and healthcare providers, many kids will not simply “grow out” of these issues and they can develop into long term problems. Bladder and bowel issues in kids can be complex and can stem from a variety of factors, from diet and behaviour to issues with the timing and control of pelvic floor muscles.
As parents, we understand that these issues can cause a lot of embarrassment and frustration but with guidance and education from our physiotherapists, we can help you and your child overcome these issues.
Signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction in children
Urinary incontinence: (leaking during the day that can be associated with running, jumping, laughing or due to poor holding patterns)
Urinary frequency or urgency (constant need to go to the washroom, or an inability to hold their bladder)
Constipation (infrequent bowel movements, hard and painful stools, refusal to poop on the toilet)
Fecal incontinence (bowel accidents, ranging from total loss off control to frequent stains in their underwear or clothing.
Pain in the groin, abdomen or pelvis
Poor abdominal strength or Diastasis Recti
What does pelvic health physiotherapy for children look like?
Pelvic floor physiotherapy for children relies heavily on parental involvement! Your physiotherapist will meet with you and your child to take a thorough health history and review the issues you are experiencing. There is also a physical exam (external) where your physiotherapist will assess your child’s movement strategies, posture, breathing and with your consent there may also be an EXTERNAL evaluation of the pelvic floor muscles.
Based on the assessment findings, together with your physiotherapist you will develop a treatment plan that will include a combination of: Education, fluid intake, fibre and toileting strategies, biofeedback techniques for relaxing or strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, manual therapy for tight muscles of the abdomen, back, hips or pelvis, and collaboration with other members of your child’s healthcare team.