Perineal and pelvic pediatric physiotherapy

How Can I Help my Child?

Effective treatments offered by physiotherapist at Solution Active Physiotherapy at Montreal to take care of your children

WHAT IS IT?

Pelvic floor muscle pathologies do not only affect adults. Children too can have problems like urinary incontinence during the night or some small urine leaks during the day. In children, constipation problems are also common and can happen for various reasons such as being too busy playing and forgetting to go to the bathroom. Did you know that the arrival of a baby at home, starting school or moving to a new home can contribute to the return of urinary incontinence in your toddler during the day or at night? Pelvic floor disorders occur when coordination between muscles and organs such as the bladder or rectum is disrupted. Sometimes the body's reflexes associated with urination or bowel movement are affected. These issues can affect your child's overall development and cause stress or embarrassment. Our expert physiotherapists in pediatric perineal physiotherapy will know how to accompany your family, guide you and restore peace of mind.

WHAT CAN BE TREATED ?

Here are the frequent reasons for consultation in pediatric perineal physio seen at Solution Active Physiotherapy:

Bedwetting (primary or daytime urine leakage; nocturnal or nighttime urine leakage)
Secondary enuresis (return of urine leakage after several months of potty training)
Dysuria (difficulty urinating)
Vesico-Sphincter dyssynergia (poor coordination between the bladder and the muscles of the pelvic floor)
Constipation (hard stools, difficulty in evacuating which can cause abdominal pain, stomach aches. It is important to address constipation to avoid complications such as fecal impaction)
Encopresis (leakage at the level of the stools which arrive after the age of cleanliness and which can cause the staining of the underwear for example)
Urgency or emergencies (fecal or urinary: urgent need to go to the toilet even if the child has already been there shortly before)
Young Athletes with urinary leaks during sports

Give them the chance to be confident !

EVALUATION AND TREATMENTS

During a pediatric perineal assessment, our physiotherapists take the time to ask lots of questions about your child and those around him in order to understand the cause of the problems. Some factors in your everyday life can play a role. After the discussion part of the session, comes the physical examination.

We start with the observation of breathing, position to evacuate stool and urine, posture and overall body control: a bit like during a yoga session where the instructor gives you instructions and corrects your postures. It is also possible that the therapists will give you homework: either exercises to repeat daily, or a voiding calendar, or a bowel movement calendar.

You will be guided, and receive explanations on the functioning of your child's body, as well as advice on how to manage the problem.

The objectives of the treatments are:

Help your child understand their body
To recognize the needs
Avoid getting clothes wet
To have confidence in them to allow them to participate in social activities
To reduce pain (like for example tummy aches)
Teach them healthy lifestyle habits to prevent problems later
To give you tools to support your children well.

You must know that your child must be ready and motivated to get better. A child who pees at night and has absolutely no interest in taking diapers off at night will not be a good candidate for physiotherapy. However, sometimes, bringing your child in physio just once might motivate him !

For adolescent children, post-puberty, it is also possible to refer to the pages that address adult pelvic health. Occasionally, young athletes can present with pelvic floor pathologies while practicing their sports.

Note that teenagers aged 14 and over can decide whether or not they want to be accompanied during the sessions.

For children under 14, the sessions take place with the presence of a parent.