Biofeedback is a non-invasive technique that teaches children to have more voluntary (self) control over their pelvic floor muscles using audio and visual cues from a computer program.
Biofeedback helps kids have healthier, more complete trips to the bathroom! It trains kids to relax and contract their pelvic floor and sphincter muscles correctly to prevent urine loss and more efficiently empty their bladder during urination.
This training is useful for children who have:
It is necessary to change this uncoordinated muscle pattern to improve urinary tract health.
If your child is experiencing symptoms, your pediatrician or health care provider can refer you to our urology team. We will run diagnostic testing to confirm that biofeedback will be a good care option for your child.
We offer weekly biofeedback clinics at our Stony Point and downtown Richmond locations.
At each pelvic floor training session, you and your child will meet with our biofeedback nurse for 60-90 minutes. This session will be individualized for your child and guided by the doctor or nurse practitioner. We’ll review your child’s specific symptoms and their progress from previous visits.
Please have your child dress in comfortable clothes. They will remain in their own clothes throughout the visit. They will have skin electrodes (“stickers”) placed on their abdomen, hip and buttock areas. Please allow your child to drink on the way to the appointment so they have a full bladder.
Three to six sessions are typically needed to develop coordinated muscle patterns. Be prepared to continue work at home between sessions. This will reinforce technique and improve your child’s progress.
Our dedicated biofeedback specialists have special training and experience to provide individualized care beyond what physical therapy or other treatments alone can support.
During individualized, 60 to 90-minute sessions you can expect to:
