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Pediatric Pelvic Health for Neurotypical and Neurodiverse Populations (IVY Pelvic Health Residency)

IVY Pelvic Health Residency (Open to Residents Only)

Online

December 10, 2024

Shelley Mannell, PT and I will be providing a 1/2 day training for the IVY Pelvic Health Residents on Pediatric Pelvic Health. We will be presenting an integrated, systems-thinking model that broadens intervention options beyond a pelvic floor-centric thought process, that is sensitive to the needs of families and children managing developmental, emotional, sensory, and motor challenges.

Full Description: Pediatric continence is a challenge for many of the families encountered by PTs and OTs. However, few rehabilitation professionals feel confident to address these needs, and lack relevant tools to address them in the context of the clinical setting. Standard direct pelvic floor (ex: biofeedback), behavioral, and environmental interventions often fail to meet the complex needs of neurodiverse (and many neurotypical) kids. This presentation provides the pelvic health professionals with a clinical framework that is relevant and sensitive to families and children managing developmental, emotional, sensory, and motor challenges. Through integration of the postural control, neuromuscular, movement, and pressure systems an accessible bridge between central stability and continence is created. This provides a systems-thinking model that emphasizes an approach that broadens our intervention options beyond a pelvic floor-centric thought process.

By offering relevant strategies that complement their existing skill set, this presentation will equip providers with tools to address continence in conjunction with other treatment needs. The presentation will provide assessment, outcome measurement, and clinical reasoning tools  to support the application of these strategies across a spectrum of needs within our neurodiverse and neurotypical populations from birth through adulthood.

Objectives:

  1. Gain functional, movement-based intervention strategies relevant to the complex needs of the neurodiverse populations (Autism, ADHD, CP, Hypotonia) that capitalize on existing links between postural and continence control systems.
  2. Utilize outcome measures to identify areas of pelvic health needs and patterns to guide early assessment and plan of care in conjunction with other treatment goals.
  3. Develop communication tools to initiate conversations with families on pelvic health needs.

 

 

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