Pediatric Pelvic Floor Therapy
Pelvic Floor Functions
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that helps with:
Bladder control (peeing)
Bowel control (pooping)
Core stability and posture
Relaxation and coordination
In children, problems are often about timing, coordination, awareness, strength, and/or habits.
Your Child Might Benefit from OT
if they experience any of the below.
Daytime or nighttime bedwetting
Constipation or stool withholding
Encopresis (poop accidents)
Frequent urination or urgency
Pain with peeing or pooping
Difficulty sensing when they need to go
Anxiety or fear around toileting
Delayed toileting independence
Pelvic pain (less common, but possible)
A pediatric pelvic floor therapist is a specialized clinician who supports children and adolescents with bowel, bladder, and pelvic health concerns through a trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, and non-invasive approach. Care is grounded in safety, choice, and trust, honoring each child’s autonomy while moving at a pace that feels comfortable for both the child and family.
Using play-based strategies, movement, breathing, body awareness, and nervous system regulation, the therapist addresses the whole child rather than just symptoms. Hands-on techniques, when used, are always external and gentle, with clear consent and explanation. Internal exams are not part of our pediatric care.
A core component of treatment is parent and caregiver education, empowering families with practical tools, clear explanations, and supportive coaching to carry skills into daily routines. Parents are viewed as essential partners in the therapeutic process. Your child will learn how their body’s anatomy functions, strategies and tips to manage symptoms from the get go, and exercises to give them results that last! As an occupational therapist with over 16 years of experience, you can be sure that Played Well’s techniques are rooted in compassionate care that are tailored to your child’s specific needs.
This multifaceted, non-invasive approach promotes confidence, body awareness, healthy development, and long-term self-regulation—helping children build positive relationships with their bodies while improving function in a respectful, compassionate, and evidence-informed way.
Our Pelvic Floor JourneyAnna’s journey with pelvic floor therapy is deeply personal. She began experiencing stress incontinence at an early age and still recalls one vivid childhood memory with striking clarity. Two friends had come over for a sleepover—one her best friend, the other someone she was eager to impress. The three spent the night in carefree bliss, playing Nintendo, running around outside, and attempting cheerleading stunts with more enthusiasm than skill.
During one particularly precarious stunt, laughter erupted—and suddenly, so did the accident. Anna found herself standing in a pool of pee.
That moment wasn’t an isolated one. Similar embarrassing episodes followed her into adulthood, often triggered by visual cues or situational stress—watching floor numbers tick by in an elevator while silently pleading to make it in time, celebrating the small victories when there wasn’t a dribble… or worse.