Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment | Orlando & Central FL

Pediatric Pelvic Dysfunction

Since becoming a mom (and maybe it’s more on my mind as a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist) I notice we talk A LOT about our kids bowel and bladder habits from ages 0-2. Then, really never talk about it again until we are on the other end of the age spectrum and are back in diapers (which we really shouldn’t be back in diapers! But that’s another blog post) OR until we start having issues like constipation, leaking, or pain.

Our pediatricians, friends, mom blogs, and baby bunch groups are constantly discussing how many wet diapers, how many poopy diapers, what kind of poops our kids are having… We dive into potty training and we all just sort of block that part out of our minds and continue on into childhood, teenage life, and adulthood without looking back.

Many (I would argue ALL) adult pelvic health problems start with a lack of discussing and fully diving into our bowel and bladder habits as a kid. Pediatric issues we typically see include: constipation, bedwetting (enuresis), urinary retention/holding, urinary and fecal incontinence, and pelvic pain (pain with peeing or pooping). Often we are quick to prescribe medication – which can be helpful to get bowel consistency back on track and reduce fear of hard poops, but we are also not as quick to look for alternatives.

At Frankly Pelvic, each child is accompanied by their parent/guardian for the duration of each visit where we go over pelvic health, anatomy, basic physiology and function of their bodies (in a kid friendly way), encourage bodily autonomy, practice core and pressure management during their favorite activities or sports, and assess their muscles, nerves, and tissues in the pelvis in an age appropriate manner.

Does this mean my child will have an internal digital exam (like adults might expect)? NO! The only population where this might be a discussion would be ages 15+. A consult with an adolescent gynecologist/urologist or their pediatrician AND discussion with the teen and parent/guardian will be had prior to the appointment to make sure everyone is on the same page moving into the first appointment. No surprises!

“Pelvic Assessments” (as applicable for their issues) can be done over leggings or underwear and only if the child and parent give consent throughout all portions of the assessment. Overall physical plan for the evaluation: look and touch their tummies, back, hips, look at their balance, and maybe a look at their neck/jaw (tension) – all with consent and permission from the child and parent throughout. Dr. Kelly’s goal with the evaluation is to provide both parent/guardian and child with age appropriate information, understanding of their anatomy, and practical home strategies that can be put into place that day.

Dr. Kelly always operates using a trauma informed approach. We know this is not your child’s first trip to the doctor, so we want to be as comforting, approachable, and silly as we can while still providing the highest quality and level of care at each visit. We will work with your family’s team of gastroenterologists, urologists, pediatricians, and other team members to ensure your child’s issues are resolved easily, safely, and quickly.