Bladder and bowel dysfunctions in 1748 children referred to pelvic physiotherapy: clinical characteristics and locomotor problems in primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare settings

Marieke L. van Engelenburg-van Lonkhuyzen*, Esther M. J. Bols, Marc A. Benninga, Wim A. Verwijs, Rob A. de Bie

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The aims of this study are to evaluate in a pragmatic cross-sectional study, the clinical characteristics of childhood bladder and/or bowel dysfunctions (CBBD) and locomotor problems in the primary through tertiary health care setting. It was hypothesized that problems would increase, going from primary to tertiary healthcare. Data were retrieved from patient-records of children (1-16 years) presenting with CBBD and visiting pelvic physiotherapists. Prevalence's of dysfunctions were compared between healthcare settings and gender using ANOVA and chi-square test. Agreement between physicians' diagnoses and parent-reported symptoms was evaluated (Cohen's Kappa). One thousand seventy hundred forty-eight children (mean age 7.7 years [SD 2.9], 48.9% boys) were included. Daytime urinary incontinence (P = 0.039) and enuresis (P <0.001) were more diagnosed in primary healthcare, whereas constipation (P <0.001) and abdominal pain (P = 0.009) increased from primary to tertiary healthcare. All parent-reported symptoms occurred more frequently than indicated by the physicians. Poor agreement between physicians' diagnoses and parent-reported symptoms was found (k = 0.16). Locomotor problems prevailed in all healthcare settings, motor skills (P = 0.041) and core stability (P = 0.015) significantly more in tertiary healthcare.

Conclusions: Constipation and abdominal pain (physicians' diagnoses) and the parent-reported symptoms hard stools and bloating increased from primary to tertiary healthcare. Discrepancies exist between the prevalence's of physicians' diagnoses and parent-reported symptoms. Locomotor problems predominate in all healthcare settings.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)207-216
Number of pages10
JournalEuropean Journal of Pediatrics
Volume176
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2017

Keywords

  • Constipation
  • Enuresis
  • Incontinence
  • Motor control
  • Pelvic floor muscles
  • Questionnaire
  • URINARY-TRACT SYMPTOMS
  • FLOOR THERAPY
  • DIFFICULTIES QUESTIONNAIRE
  • NOCTURNAL ENURESIS
  • FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION
  • PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES
  • CONTROLLED-TRIAL
  • MUSCLES
  • PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
  • ADOLESCENTS

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