Back To School Bathroom Basics

By Jill Menefee, PT
Summer vacation is almost over for many of our school kids in San Diego. The lazy days of summer often mean a drastic change in our schedule for many things, such as bedtime, eating habits, traveling, and bathroom routines. As the new school year approaches, now is the time to hit the reset button and get back to reestablishing good patterns.

We all function better with healthy eating patterns, a good night's sleep, and a regular bathroom routine. The carefree days of summertime allow much more freedom to listen to our bodies and make those trips to the toilet as needed. Once the school bell starts to ring, our kids are now in a more structured schedule that might not allow for regular trips to the toilet. For some kids, this isn't an issue. But many school aged children have bowel and bladder problems that increase in severity once the school year begins. Planning ahead of time and following a few strategies might be able to stop any issues before they start.

Bowel and Bladder Tips

🔹 Allow room in the morning schedule for plenty of bathroom time.

After we eat the brain sends a signal to our bowels called the gastrocolic reflex that tells our body it's time to poop. Don't pass up this opportunity for your child to have a BM to start the day by rushing through the morning.
 
🔹 Stay hydrated

Healthy bowel and bladder function requires adequate fluid intake. Send a water bottle to school with your child as allowed or encourage the use of water fountains. Avoid sugary drinks which can be a bladder irritant and not optimal for providing any added nutrition. 

🔹 Encourage your child to listen to their body for bowel and bladder urge

This can be a challenging task as the body doesn't always cooperate on a set schedule. Reinforce the importance for your child to go to the toilet during the day during breaks or lunch. If your child is having bathroom issues, discuss this with the teacher so a plan can be established if he or she needs to go to the bathroom during class time. 

🔹 Choose the restroom wisely

Many of the kids with bowel or bladder issues I have treated in the past will say they don't want to go to the restroom at school because it's dirty, the doors don't lock, or bullying is occurring in the restroom, to name a few. Suggest that your child might try to use the toilet closest to the front office or discuss with the school nurse if there is an opportunity to use a restroom that might be more closely monitored. 

🔹 Keep those healthy eating habits

Include plenty of whole grains and green leafy veggies in the diet. An excess amount of processed food intake will only clog up the drain so to speak and can lead to constipation. Over time, constipation can also lead to bladder issues.

Hopefully a new school year will bring new friends, lots of learning, and a great experience all around. If your child's school year is starting out with some troubles in the bowel and bladder department, your PT at CTS can help.

Give us a call!! 858-457-8419
CTS Move of the Month - August 2022: Dead Bug
This exercise, demonstrated by Alexis, is a safe and effective way to strengthen and stabilize your core, spine and back muscles. It can also help improve your posture and reduce your risk of lower back pain.
🔹 Lie in your back with arms extended towards the ceiling and knees bent with your feet flat on the floor.

🔹 Engage your core and bring your legs into a tabletop position.

🔹 Slowly extend your left leg and drop your right arm back toward the floor. Keep your core engaged throughout the movement and don't hold your breath.

🔹 Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
While it may be common, urinary incontinence is NOT normal!

Your Pelvic Therapist at CTS can design a treatment program to improve your pelvic floor muscle strength and help you gain control over the condition.

These treatment programs may include:

🔹 Pelvic Floor Exercises

Both the contraction and full release of the muscles is the goal in training.

🔹 Exercises to Improve Muscle Strength

Your PT or OT will teach you specific exercises to increase awareness and movement, to stretch and to strengthen your muscles.

🔹 Biofeedback

Biofeedback can guide you and help make you aware of the correct way to use your pelvic floor muscles.

Your therapist will use an internal sensor to read and measure pelvic floor muscle activity. The pressure on the probe when you squeeze your muscles will display on a computer screen to show when you have contracted the right muscles.

🔹 Electrical Stimulation

Gentle electrical stimulation can help make you more aware of your muscle function.

🔹 Real-time Ultrasound

An ultrasound device can assess isolated contractions of the pelvic floor and abdominal wall muscles to ensure proper coordination.

🔹 Patient Education

Lifestyle changes and healthy habits may help people avoid or improve urinary incontinence.

We have a wide variety of tools in our toolbox to help urinary incontinence.

Call us today! 858-457-8419 📞


comprehensivetherapy.com / (858) 457-8419 / Open Monday-Friday 7am-7pm

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