Pelvic Floor Therapy
Pelvic floor therapy helps children whose bladder and bowel control, core strength, or body awareness aren't where they should be, using external-only, fully clothed treatment. Advanced Therapy & Wellness Center provides OT-led pediatric pelvic floor therapy in Crest Hill, Illinois.
Bedwetting past the expected age. Daytime accidents long after potty training. Chronic constipation and the stomachaches that come with it. Families are usually told to wait these out, and they're rarely told that the pelvic floor is a muscle group that can be trained like any other.
The pelvic floor doesn't work alone. It coordinates with the diaphragm, the core, and the nervous system, which is why our approach looks at breathing, posture, reflexes, and toileting habits together. And to be clear for any parent reading this with hesitation: all treatment is external and fully clothed. Always.
One more connection worth knowing: airway and breathing pattern issues, the same ones our myofunctional team treats, often travel with pelvic floor dysfunction. A child who mouth-breathes and over-breathes is bracing their core differently. We treat the system, not the spot.
Signs a child may benefit
- Bedwetting beyond age 5 to 6, or accidents returning after dry months
- Daytime leaks, urgency, or "holding it" until the last second
- Chronic constipation, straining, or stool accidents
- Fear or avoidance of the toilet
- Weak core, poor posture, or breath-holding during effort
- Frequent stomachaches with no medical cause found
Who it helps
Children, typically from potty-training age through the school years. We work alongside your pediatrician, and if anything in the history suggests a medical cause, we say so and refer before treating.
What treatment looks like
The evaluation is conversation and observation: toileting history, fluids and diet, posture, breathing pattern, core strength, and relevant reflexes. Nothing about it is scary, and kids generally think it's gym class.
Treatment teaches the child to find, relax, and coordinate the pelvic floor through games, breathing work, posture and core exercises, and toileting mechanics (yes, footstool position genuinely matters). Everything is external and fully clothed, with a parent present.
You get a home routine and habit changes that do half the work: timed voiding, fluid pacing, and positioning. Most families see progress within weeks, and we track it with you visit to visit.
Frequently asked questions
What is pediatric pelvic floor therapy?
It is therapy that teaches a child to coordinate the pelvic floor muscles with the core and the breath, addressing problems like bedwetting, daytime accidents, and chronic constipation. At ATWC it is provided by an occupational therapist and all treatment is external and fully clothed.
Is the treatment invasive?
No. Pediatric pelvic floor therapy at ATWC is external only: exercises, breathing work, posture training, and habit coaching, with the child fully clothed and a parent present at every session.
My child still wets the bed. When is that worth treating?
Occasional nighttime wetting is common through age 5 or 6, but consistent bedwetting beyond that age, or accidents that return after months of dryness, deserve an evaluation. Muscle coordination, constipation, retained reflexes, and breathing patterns are all treatable contributors.
Can constipation really be a muscle problem?
Often, yes. A pelvic floor that can't relax at the right moment makes complete emptying difficult, which leads to withholding, stretching of the bowel, and worsening constipation. Coordination training plus positioning and habit changes breaks that cycle for many children.
Do we need a doctor's referral first?
No referral is required to be evaluated, though we recommend keeping your pediatrician in the loop and we coordinate with them directly. If the evaluation suggests a medical cause, we refer before treating.
Does insurance cover pelvic floor therapy?
It is provided within occupational therapy at ATWC, which is in-network with BCBS PPO; superbills are available for out-of-network plans. Call 815-782-4196 and we'll help you verify coverage.
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Clare Travers