We Are Skilled Pelvic Health Physiotherapists in South Calgary.
Children’s Pelvic Health Physiotherapy is a focused area of physiotherapy that helps children with specific problems, such as:
- Constipation
- Fecal incontinence
- Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis)
- Overactive or underactive bladder (peeing too often or not frequently enough)
- Stress incontinence and giggle incontinence (urine leakage with coughing/sneezing/laughing/exercise, etc.)
We Can Restore Your Child’s Confidence & Self Esteem
As embarrassing as these problems are for children, they can also be very confusing. Sometimes children will hide these problems from their parents/caregivers and they may go untreated for a very long time. Even when parents/caregivers are fully aware of the difficulties their child is facing, it can be a long road as they help their child navigate numerous medical appointments and tests, often with inconclusive results and little being offered in the way of treatment. We are here to help. Proper physiotherapy assessment and treatment for children can be very effective at eliminating their bowel and bladder problems and restoring their confidence and quality of life for the whole family. If you are reading this, rest assured, help is right around the corner!
Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Can Improve Your Child’s Self Esteem
Hours, days, weeks, even months after injury. We can help.
What to Expect From Children’s Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
Our children’s pelvic health physiotherapist’s first goal is to have both child and parent/caregiver feel comfortable and supported. We ask questions and engage the child to participate in the assessment and treatment process in a relaxed and even fun way. We want to hear the perspective of both the parents/caregivers and the child, as we recognise that these issues impact the entire family. At every step, the child and parents/caregivers are actively involved in the assessment and treatment plan. It really is a team approach!
Assessment & Treatment May Include
- Extensive history taking regarding bowel and bladder function.
- Completion of a 3-day toileting diary to record the child’s bladder and bowel habits, including the frequency and amount of elimination that is occurring, and information regarding any episodes of leakage or incontinence.
- Evaluation of posture and breathing.
- Evaluation of muscle recruitment and control.
- Education about how the bladder and bowel work.
- Bladder and bowel schedule retraining.
- Positioning and behavioural techniques to improve toileting success.
- Visual evaluation and external touching (palpation) of the pelvic floor muscles in order to teach the child how to effectively contract and relax their muscles.
- Biofeedback techniques to improve pelvic floor awareness and coordination.
- Instruction in manual techniques, such as abdominal massage.
- Internal assessment and treatment of the rectum and anus, if indicated.
- Fluid and fibre intake guidance (in coordination with physician and/or dietitian).
We tailor each treatment program to best meet the needs of the child and parents/caregivers, to maximize participation in and enjoyment of normal daily activities, and to reduce the impact that these problems can have on the entire family. If you or someone you know could benefit from this vital service, we look forward to hearing from you.
