Course Description
This course is designed for pediatric clinicians who want an enhanced understanding of how the pelvic floor functions as part of the core system and how it relates to posture, breathing, continence, and functional movement in children—without a focus on pelvic floor therapy or internal pelvic floor interventions.
- The course is appropriate for therapists working in school-based, outpatient pediatric, and neurodevelopmental settings who want to better identify pelvic floor–related contributions to core weakness, postural compensations, inefficient breathing patterns, and bowel or bladder habits in both neurotypical children and children with special needs. Emphasis is placed on externally observable movement patterns and functional performance rather than specialized pelvic health treatment.
Evidence-Informed Statement: “Content is based on current literature, clinical practice guidelines, and professional consensus.”
Why This Course Is Important
Children with hypotonia, neuromuscular diagnoses, sensory processing differences, or musculoskeletal asymmetries frequently demonstrate inefficient breathing strategies, poor core activation, and compensatory postural patterns. These movement and postural compensations are commonly associated with constipation, dysfunctional voiding habits, and delayed continence; however, the pelvic floor and pressure management system are often overlooked in traditional pediatric therapy models.
By understanding how the diaphragm, rib cage, abdominal wall, and pelvic floor function together as a pressure system, clinicians can more effectively address core stability, postural control, and functional movement challenges—even when continence is not the primary focus of therapy. This course equips clinicians with practical tools to recognize when the pelvic floor should be considered during evaluation and how to integrate this knowledge into everyday pediatric practice.
Here's What You'll Learn!
Many of you come from different areas of specialty, some pediatric therapists, some pelvic health therapists.
Whether you are a "seasoned" pelvic therapist or have NEVER worked with the pelvic floor before this course is designed for you!
Breathing for Balance!
The diaphragm is both a postural muscles and a respiratory muscle. Both need to be addressed and correlated with the PFM to provide balance and stability.
Constipation and the PF?
One can't work without the other! This course connects the function and interrelationships between all of these important areas.
What Participants Will Learn
This course provides a practical, anatomy-based understanding of the pelvic floor as part of the pediatric core system and its role in posture, breathing, and functional movement. Participants will learn how to evaluate and influence pressure management through rib cage positioning, breathing mechanics, and pelvic floor activation using developmentally appropriate, externally focused strategies suitable for pediatric and school-based environments.
Key content areas include:
- Development and functional role of the pelvic floor in relation to the diaphragm and abdominal wall
- Influence of rib cage positioning and breathing mechanics on core activation and postural stability
- Identification of inefficient breathing strategies and their relationship to functional performance
- Screening considerations for constipation and dysfunctional voiding habits and their relationship to posture and core control
- Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) screening and implications for pressure management
- Visual pelvic floor screening, verbal cueing, and positioning strategies appropriate for pediatric populations
- Practical, engaging strategies to integrate rib cage, diaphragm, and pelvic floor coordination into functional tasks
Clinical Application
Instruction focuses on assessment and treatment strategies that can be seamlessly incorporated into routine pediatric therapy sessions. Content is applicable to children with diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, hypotonia, and other neurodevelopmental or musculoskeletal conditions.
Patient case examples are used to demonstrate treatment progression and show how pelvic floor–informed core strategies can be embedded into functional, occupation-based goals without the use of internal pelvic floor assessment or treatment.
Learning Format
This self-paced course includes didactic instruction, visual demonstrations, and pediatric case studies to support clinical reasoning and practical application.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe the role of the pelvic floor as part of the pediatric core system and its relationship to the diaphragm, rib cage, abdominal wall, posture, breathing, and functional movement.
- Identify inefficient breathing strategies, rib cage positions, and postural compensations that contribute to reduced core activation and functional challenges in children.
- Analyze how pressure system dysfunction may influence constipation, dysfunctional voiding habits, delayed continence, and movement patterns in pediatric populations.
- Apply developmentally appropriate, externally focused strategies—including positioning, cueing, and breathing techniques—to support improved core activation and postural control during functional tasks.
- Integrate pelvic floor–informed screening concepts into pediatric evaluations to determine when pelvic floor considerations may be impacting function without performing internal pelvic floor assessment or treatment.
Course Curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours is the course?
The course includes 6 hours of continuing education broken up into bite sized modules.
4.6 hours of lecture and 1.4 hours of self-paced lab with step-by-step handouts for each lab!
How long does it take to finish the course?
How long the course takes is up to you - you can go at your own pace and your own convenience.
What is included in the course?
See the Course Curriculum for a detailed course outline.
How long will I have access to the course?
You will have lifetime access to the course!
Will I get CCU/CEU credit?
In the course curriculum I have a free preview of the CCU/CEU fact sheet.
Will I get access to the full course all at once?
Yes.
Do I have to take a test to pass?
Yes. Learning outcomes will be assessed via a quiz at the completion of the course and you must pass with 70% or better to obtain your certificate of completion.
Can more than one person view the course with one login?
Please contact me if you have several students in your practice, as discounted pricing is possible! In general, I offer a 10% discount for 3 more participants and 15% off for university students. Other considerations include adding a group mentoring hourly rate for a post-course debriefing – let’s talk!
Otherwise, no, the courses are designed to be for one person, and one email login. Only one course CEU certificate is issued to the original person/email login for the purchase price. Original logins cannot be transferred to other emails/persons.
What's the difference between a Live Course and Teachable Course?
The teachable courses are what we call "evergreen" meaning they are always available for you to watch as often as you want and includes updates as they are available. The lectures are recorded by me and you have an opportunity to ask questions online after each lecture.
Live Courses are either in person or done on Zoom with the ability to ask questions throughout the course. The didactic portions of the course are given prior to the live course which includes approximately 6 hours of online videos. There is no availability to re-watch the lectures after the course.
How do we avoid online fatigue?
All lessons are video lessons
Virtual Labs with talk through interactive activities to practice new technique
Video recording of patient evaluations and treatment programs
Video recorded lectures on case studies of patient evaluations and progressions
Lectures can be stopped and started as needed!
Refunds/cancellations?
Refunds are available within 14 days of purchase if you have not initiated the course.
Accessibility
For questions regarding course support or accessibility please email us at info@kidsbowelbladder.com for accomodations.
What do I do if I need help?
If you need help with something related to the course, please email info@kidsbowelbladder.com.
You also have opportunities to provide your feedback, ask questions, and make comments.
Thank you for wanting to help these kiddos!
Dawn Sandalcidi PT, RCMT, BCB-PMD
Financial Disclosure:
Financial— Receives speaking fees from all of her Pediatric Bowel and Bladder Courses
Nonfinancial— No relevant non financial relationship exists.
