Pelvic Health
At Kids Physio Group, our goal is to support children in doing what they do best – just be kids! If your child is affected by incontinence of their bowel and bladder, paediatric pelvic floor physiotherapy can help. We recognize these conditions can be stressful for the entire family and challenging to manage. We are here to ensure your child feels comfortable and empowered to improve their incontinence and regain their confidence.
Incontinence during the day or night is a common paediatric issue affecting up to 1 in 7 school-age children. For many of these children, they are unable to control leaking urine or feces due to issues with their pelvic floor musculature. Often, these incidents are outside of their conscious control and require intervention to improve. Similarly to when other muscles of the body are not working effectively – physiotherapy can help!
Pelvic Health
Paediatric Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Paediatric incontinence typically occurs when the pelvic floor muscles are not working effectively with the bowel and bladder muscles to allow for typical voiding (passage of waste). This may result in several pelvic conditions including:
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Enuresis or bed wetting: voiding of urine while asleep at an age when overnight bladder control is expected
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Constipation: sometimes even children with daily bowel movements can experience constipation. Constipation can lead to increased pressure on the bladder and contribute to both urine and fecal leaks
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Overactive bladder: frequent need to urinate which may cause the child to wake overnight
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Urge incontinence: strong, sudden urge to urinate which may result in leaking
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Postponement: using holding strategies to avoid using the washroom resulting in leaks
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Dysfunctional voiding: squeezing of the pelvic floor muscles during voiding which disrupts the flow of urine making it challenging for the child to empty successfully
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Stress or giggle incontinence: leaking of urine in response to activity (jumping, sneezing, sport) or laughing
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And much more...
Pelvic Health
Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
If your child is over 5 years of age and experiencing any of the above symptoms, we recommend active physiotherapy management.
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Education for the child and parent on digestion, anatomy and how the pelvic floor works to support continence
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Tracking a “bowel and bladder diary” for several days including dietary information, voiding habits and leaks
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Functional assessment of breathing and core functioning
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Visual assessment of the pelvic floor contracting and relaxing
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And much more...
Following your assessment, a specialized treatment plan will be designed for your family that suits your family’s needs and schedule.
This may include:
- Pelvic floor muscle home exercise program to address dysfunction
- Toilet training tips and positioning and habits to improve success with fully emptying
- Bladder schedule to regulate voiding and avoid leaks
- Dietary recommendations include fibre, fluid intake and removing bladder irritants
- Constipation management including abdominal massage and collaboration with your physician
- Bedwetting management program to manage enuresis based on the pattern of overnight leaks
- Education on pelvic floor anatomy, bladder functioning, urge control and more
Your physiotherapist will tailor the treatment program to address your child’s specific needs. Our goal is to use FUN physiotherapy strategies to empower your child to fully participate in all activities without concerns of leaks.
Have More Questions?
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More Questions
FAQ
Find out the answers to some of the questions you may have before booking with our team.
Paediatric physiotherapists use age-appropriate exercises to enhance a child’s pelvic control.
Paediatric pelvic floor exercises often involve gentle muscle contractions and relaxation techniques to improve coordination, balance, and strength in the pelvic region, fostering better control over bladder and bowel functions. No internal techniques are used with children.
Pelvic floor dysfunction in children may include bedwetting, daytime urinary leakage, constipation, abdominal pain, recurrent urinary tract infections, and difficulty controlling bowel movements.
These signs can vary, so early evaluation is crucial.
Paediatric physiotherapists use child-friendly exercises like pelvic bridges and deep breathing techniques to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles in kids.
These exercises aim to improve muscle tone and coordination, promoting better bladder and bowel control.
Untreated pelvic floor dysfunction in children can lead to prolonged bladder or bowel issues, emotional distress, and social challenges.
It may also exacerbate symptoms over time, making treatment less effective.
Among children, the most common pelvic floor disorders are urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.
These conditions often require physiotherapy and lifestyle modifications for managemen
Constipation in children is common and can be an underlying cause of other concerns such as daytime urinary leaks, bed wetting, stomach pain and more.
A paediatric physiotherapist can help provide strategies to address constipation.
Bedwetting is common for young children and tends to resolve with age.
For children who are continuing to bed wet over the age of 5, a paediatric physiotherapist can help screen for underlying causes and provide solutions to work towards dry nights.
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