Helping Children Feel Comfortable, Confident & In Control
Children can experience pelvic floor dysfunction, too. Constipation, bedwetting, urinary accidents, frequent bathroom trips, bowel accidents, and painful bowel movements can be frustrating for children and overwhelming for parents who aren’t sure what to do next.
At Magic City Physical Therapy, we provide specialized pediatric pelvic floor physical therapy and occupational therapy in Hoover, Alabama, and throughout the Birmingham metro area. We help children improve bladder and bowel function, develop healthy toileting habits, improve pelvic floor coordination, and feel more confident participating in the activities they enjoy.
Our pediatric pelvic health program takes a whole-child approach, considering the physical, functional, sensory, behavioral, and daily-life factors that can influence bladder and bowel function. We typically see children age 4 and older in our clinic with a parent or guardian involved in their care. For younger children and families who live outside the Birmingham area, we also offer Virtual Family Coaching to provide parents with education and practical strategies they can use at home.
Our approach is warm, age-appropriate, and family-centered. We know that talking about accidents, constipation, bedwetting, or toileting can feel uncomfortable for children. Our goal is to make pelvic health feel less confusing and much more manageable.
What Can Pediatric Pelvic Floor Therapy Help With?
We commonly work with children experiencing bedwetting, daytime urinary accidents, urgency, frequent urination, urinary leakage, recurrent UTIs, difficulty emptying the bladder, constipation, painful or difficult bowel movements, fecal incontinence or smearing, abdominal discomfort, pelvic pain, toileting difficulties, stool or urine withholding, and difficulty recognizing or responding to bladder or bowel signals.
We also address pelvic floor tension or spasms and difficulty coordinating the pelvic floor during urination or bowel movements.
A Whole-Child Approach to Pediatric Pelvic Health
Every child is different, and bladder and bowel problems can have many contributing factors. Chronic constipation, withholding, toileting habits, pelvic floor tension, sensory differences, posture, breathing, core function, mobility, hydration, stress, activity level, and daily routines can all play a role.
Depending on your child’s needs, therapy may include pelvic floor coordination and relaxation, bladder and bowel education, toileting positioning, breathing and core coordination, mobility and strengthening, constipation management, sensory and body-awareness strategies, functional toileting skills, and individualized home strategies.
Physical therapists and occupational therapists bring complementary expertise to pediatric pelvic health. Regardless of the provider, our goal is to understand what may be contributing to your child’s symptoms and create practical strategies that fit your child and your family.
We work closely with parents because you know your child best. You’ll learn what may be contributing to the problem, what you can do at home, and how to support progress without creating additional stress or shame around toileting.
When Bladder or Bowel Problems Start Affecting Childhood
Pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t simply a bathroom problem.
A child who worries about an accident may avoid sleepovers, school activities, sports, camps, or other social events. Constipation can cause abdominal discomfort and affect mood, concentration, activity level, and willingness to use the bathroom. Bedwetting can disrupt sleep and leave children feeling embarrassed or different from their peers.
Your child isn’t being lazy, difficult, or intentionally having accidents. Bladder and bowel function involves a complex interaction between the pelvic floor, bladder, bowel, nervous system, abdominal muscles, breathing, posture, sensory processing, and daily routines.
Our job is to help you understand what may be contributing to the problem and give your family practical tools to move forward.
What Does Pediatric Pelvic Floor Therapy Involve?
Treatment is individualized to your child’s age, developmental level, symptoms, and goals. Sessions may include education, movement and posture assessment, breathing and abdominal coordination, pelvic floor relaxation and coordination, toileting strategies, mobility and strengthening activities, sensory and body-awareness work, and parent education.
We look beyond the pelvic floor because nutrition, hydration, activity, stress, sensory factors, posture, breathing, and daily routines can all influence bladder and bowel function.
Our goal isn’t simply to stop an accident. It’s to help your child understand their body, develop healthy habits, and regain confidence.
Virtual Family Coaching
Not located near Birmingham? We offer Virtual Family Coaching for families throughout Alabama, including Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile, Dothan, The Shoals, Tuscaloosa, and Auburn, as well as families outside of Alabama.
Virtual Family Coaching is designed for parents who need guidance navigating childhood bladder, bowel, constipation, or toileting challenges but may not have access to a pediatric pelvic floor physical or occupational therapist nearby.
This is an educational and parent-support service rather than an initial evaluation for physical or occupational therapy services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Isn’t bedwetting normal for children?
Bedwetting can be a normal part of development, particularly at younger ages. However, persistent or bothersome bedwetting after age six deserves attention, especially when accompanied by daytime urinary symptoms, constipation, pain, frequent urination, or emotional or social distress.
A pediatric pelvic floor physical or occupational therapist can help identify whether pelvic floor dysfunction, bowel and bladder habits, sensory factors, or other contributors may be involved.
Is constipation really related to the pelvic floor?
Absolutely. The pelvic floor plays an important role in bowel emptying, and constipation is one of the most common concerns we address in pediatric pelvic health.
One important thing parents may not realize is that a child can be constipated even if they have a bowel movement every day. Frequency alone doesn’t tell us whether the bowels are emptying completely or functioning effectively. Large or hard stools, straining, painful bowel movements, withholding, incomplete emptying, or stool leakage and smearing can all be signs of constipation.
Children with chronic constipation may also develop patterns of tightening or withholding that make it difficult for the pelvic floor to relax and coordinate properly. We help families understand what healthy bowel function looks like and identify factors that may be contributing, including bowel habits, toileting position, breathing, abdominal and pelvic floor coordination, hydration, diet, and sensory factors.
Can pelvic floor dysfunction begin in childhood and continue into adulthood?
Yes. Pelvic floor dysfunction can begin during childhood, particularly when chronic constipation, stool or urine withholding, dysfunctional toileting patterns, or difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor are present. These patterns can become habitual and persist as a child grows. Addressing them early can help establish healthier bladder, bowel, and pelvic floor habits.
Will my child need an internal examination?
No. Pediatric pelvic floor therapy does not require an internal examination. Evaluation and treatment are age-appropriate and focused on your child’s comfort. We can learn a great deal through conversation, observation, movement assessment, posture, breathing, abdominal function, toileting habits, and external assessment.
Does my child have to talk about accidents or bowel movements?
We will ask questions to help us understand your child’s symptoms, but we recognize that these topics can feel embarrassing. We use age-appropriate language and involve parents throughout the process while keeping your child’s comfort and dignity at the center of care.
What if my child refuses to participate?
That’s okay. We take time to build trust and use age-appropriate activities rather than making children feel pressured or ashamed. Parent education is also an important part of therapy, and much of the progress can happen between visits through practical strategies, routines, and activities at home.
How old does my child need to be?
We typically see children age 4 and older in our Hoover clinic, although younger children may be seen when appropriate with treatment tailored to their developmental stage and a parent or guardian actively involved.
For children under 4, bladder and bowel awareness and toileting skills are still developing, so accidents and inconsistent bathroom habits can be a normal part of development. Virtual Family Coaching can provide parents with guidance and practical strategies for supporting healthy bladder and bowel habits at home.
What if we don’t live near Birmingham?
Our Virtual Family Coaching service allows families throughout Alabama and outside of Alabama to receive dedicated guidance for pediatric bladder, bowel, constipation, and toileting concerns.
What if I’m not sure whether my child’s problem is pelvic floor related?
That’s exactly what an evaluation or coaching session can help clarify. You don’t need to know what’s causing the problem before you reach out. We’ll help you understand what may be contributing to your child’s symptoms and determine whether pediatric pelvic floor physical therapy, occupational therapy, or another type of care may be appropriate.
Helping Your Child Feel Like a Kid Again
Bladder and bowel problems can take up far more space in a child’s life than they should. Your child deserves to go to school, play sports, attend sleepovers, travel, and participate in everyday activities without constantly worrying about accidents, constipation, or finding the nearest bathroom.
At Magic City Physical Therapy, our pediatric pelvic floor physical and occupational therapists are here to help your family understand what’s happening, create a plan that makes sense for your child, and provide the tools and confidence to move forward.
If your child is struggling with constipation, bedwetting, urinary accidents, bowel dysfunction, toileting difficulties, or other pelvic health concerns, contact Magic City Physical Therapy to learn how pediatric pelvic floor physical or occupational therapy may help.
