PhD conferral Ms Maria L. v. Engelenburg- v. Lonkhuyzen, MSc.

“Pelvic Physiotherapy; in Childhood Bladder and Bowel Dysfunctions”

Keywords: pelvic physiotherapy, constipation, incontinence, questionnaire, clinimetrics, randomised controlled trial

Bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) is relatively common in children. However, the clinical symptoms of children who are referred by primary, secondary, or tertiary care physicians to primary pelvic physiotherapy practitioners are relatively uncommon. Combined BBD is reported far less often by doctors than by parents. Motor skill problems are far more common than the literature reveals.

A user-friendly questionnaire for parents was developed (Childhood Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction Questionnaire, CBBDQ) with good clinimetric characteristics. In addition, a multicentre RCT found that pelvic physiotherapy is a more effective treatment option for functional constipation in children aged 5 to 16 than standard medical care.