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Pediatric Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction commonly occurs in children as a result of constipation, high-impact sports, and impaired internal proprioception. Pelvic floor physical therapy combines behavioral modification with exercises and modalities including biofeedback and external stimulation to improve the ability of the pelvic floor muscles to work properly. Children are treated in a comfortable clinic environment or in their home (on a case-by-case basis) with a parent or chaperone present throughout the entire treatment. All pediatric pelvic floor services provided by KCG Pediatric PT are external only.
Constipation is the number one cause of urinary leaks and bedwetting. By taking up more room in the abdomen, constipation increases intra-abdominal pressure, placing more pressure on the bladder resulting in decreased capacity and increased urgency. When stool enters the intestines, it is liquid. As it progresses through the intestines, water is removed and the stool begins to harden. If a child withholds stool, more water is taken out of the stool resulting in increased firmness and difficulty passing the hardened stool. When the new liquid stool meets the hardened stool, it will quickly pass through the gaps and around the hardened stool, exiting the body as a peanut-butter consistency with a very distinct pungent odor. This is called encopresis.
When a child has constipation, encopresis or urinary leaks, they will often begin "holding maneuvers" such as forcefully crossing the legs or sitting on their heel in order to prevent a leak. Chronic withholding leads to a tightening of the pelvic floor muscles, resulting in an inability of the tight (and now shortened) muscles to appropriately relax for a full bowel movement or urinary void, and an inability to contract to prevent a leak of stool or urine. Biofeedback provides a child with a visual cue to learn to relax and contract the pelvic floor, improving their ability to fully void urine and to have more complete bowel movements.
Many children have difficulty recognizing the sensation of needing to urinate or have a bowel movement, which results in urinary or fecal leaks. This is known as impaired internal proprioception, or difficulty "hearing" the signals from their body. When a child is initially withholding, they ignore the signals from their body telling them to have a bowel movement due to being in an inconvenient place (class or on the bus), or due to the desire to continue participating in an activity (playing outside, screen time). Children do not revisit these signals once deferred, and eventually will stop "receiving signals" from their body indicating a need to urinate or have a bowel movement. Biofeedback and external stimulation provide an increase in signals from the pelvic floor to the brain, restoring the communication loop allowing a child to re-learn what their body "feels like" when they need to urinate or have a bowel movement.
Have questions? Ready to book an appointment? Contact Us!
Constipation is the number one cause of urinary leaks and bedwetting. By taking up more room in the abdomen, constipation increases intra-abdominal pressure, placing more pressure on the bladder resulting in decreased capacity and increased urgency. When stool enters the intestines, it is liquid. As it progresses through the intestines, water is removed and the stool begins to harden. If a child withholds stool, more water is taken out of the stool resulting in increased firmness and difficulty passing the hardened stool. When the new liquid stool meets the hardened stool, it will quickly pass through the gaps and around the hardened stool, exiting the body as a peanut-butter consistency with a very distinct pungent odor. This is called encopresis.
When a child has constipation, encopresis or urinary leaks, they will often begin "holding maneuvers" such as forcefully crossing the legs or sitting on their heel in order to prevent a leak. Chronic withholding leads to a tightening of the pelvic floor muscles, resulting in an inability of the tight (and now shortened) muscles to appropriately relax for a full bowel movement or urinary void, and an inability to contract to prevent a leak of stool or urine. Biofeedback provides a child with a visual cue to learn to relax and contract the pelvic floor, improving their ability to fully void urine and to have more complete bowel movements.
Many children have difficulty recognizing the sensation of needing to urinate or have a bowel movement, which results in urinary or fecal leaks. This is known as impaired internal proprioception, or difficulty "hearing" the signals from their body. When a child is initially withholding, they ignore the signals from their body telling them to have a bowel movement due to being in an inconvenient place (class or on the bus), or due to the desire to continue participating in an activity (playing outside, screen time). Children do not revisit these signals once deferred, and eventually will stop "receiving signals" from their body indicating a need to urinate or have a bowel movement. Biofeedback and external stimulation provide an increase in signals from the pelvic floor to the brain, restoring the communication loop allowing a child to re-learn what their body "feels like" when they need to urinate or have a bowel movement.
Have questions? Ready to book an appointment? Contact Us!