Biofeedback is a technique that helps children identify and become aware of the muscles that they can use to control their changing patterns. Muscle contraction is intended to prevent urine leakage, while relaxation aims to facilitate proper bladder emptying.
What is the biofeedback technique intended for?
The biofeedback technique is effective for children with various issues related to bladder control, such as:
- Children who struggle with complete bladder emptying.
- Children who exert effort to urinate.
- Children with recurrent urinary tract infections.
- Children who experience urgency in urination (difficulty holding back).
- Children who continue to experience bedwetting despite other treatment attempts.
The technique is performed by attaching two small adhesive sensors to both sides of the pelvic floor muscles and one adhesive sensor in the lower abdomen area. The sensors are connected to a computer that translates the child's muscle contractions and relaxations into visual cues displayed on the screen as a game.
The visual cues change as the child contracts and relax the pelvic floor muscles (the sphincters). This initiates the learning process of how to identify and effectively control the correct muscle. The child learns to contract and relax the muscles appropriately to manage their changing patterns effectively.
However, the technique does not replace other treatments for enuresis but rather provides a significant addition to the range of treatments.
Pre-assessment before starting biofeedback treatment:
Before beginning biofeedback treatment, a bladder curve assessment should be conducted. To do so, the child should arrive at the clinic with a full bladder.
- Children under the age of 7 should drink 2 cups of water one hour before the assessment.
- Children aged 7 and above should drink 3 cups of water one hour before the assessment.
Certain foods may affect the assessment results, so on the evening before and the morning of the assessment, foods, and beverages containing the following should be avoided:
- Caffeine
- Carbonated beverages
- Fruits, especially citrus fruits
- Chocolate
- Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurts, dairy ice cream)
Bowel movements:
Constipation affects the relaxation of pelvic floor muscles.
Even if your child has irregular daily bowel movements, there may be a buildup of stool in the intestines. Therefore, it's advisable to attend the session after your child has had a bowel movement in the morning of the session day or the night before.
A voiding diary should be maintained once a month, and thorough home exercises according to the training chart should be performed. (The "Voiding Diary" and "Training Chart" will be explained by the clinic team.)
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