Your child may need to have biofeedback therapy at Children's National Hospital. Learn more about biofeedback therapy and what you can do to prepare your child.
Biofeedback Therapy Preparation
What should I bring for my child's biofeedback therapy?
- A large bottle full of water: to drink during the biofeedback session. The goal is to have a full bladder by the end of the session to complete a uroflow study.
- Give your child all prescribed medicines on the day of the test. This includes Ditropan (Oxybutynin Chloride) or any other medicines for their bladder, give these medicines as prescribed. Do not skip these medicines the morning of the session, this will alter the results.
- If your child has a fever (greater than 100.4F°) or symptoms of a urinary tract infection, call the Urology office at 202 476-5042, press Option 2 as soon as possible to discuss with the nurse or nurse practitioner. The session may need to be rescheduled when your child is well to obtain the most accurate results.
Where does my child's biofeedback therapy take place?
Children’s National Hospital
111 Michigan Ave, NW
Main Hospital, Urology Clinic, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20010
- Arrive 15 minutes early to register and to prepare.
- Session takes 45-60 minutes to complete.
- If you arrive late more than 15 minutes, you may be asked to reschedule.
- If you cannot come, please call to let us know.
What general information should I know about my child's biofeedback therapy at Children's National?
- For routine questions about the study, call (202) 476-5042, press Option 2 and ask to speak with the nurse or nurse practitioner.
- If you are late or cannot come on the day of the test, call (202) 476-2162.
- If you need to reschedule – Call at least 24 hours before the study, (202)-476-5042, press Option 1.
What is biofeedback therapy?
Biofeedback therapy teaches your child how to control their pelvic floor muscles.
Pelvic floor muscles surround where the urine (pee) comes out. Your child will work on squeezing and relaxing these muscles during biofeedback.
These exercises will be done through a fun, interactive computer game. When your child learns how to control these muscles in the game, they will think about this skill while urinating (where they should be relaxing while the pee comes out)
Who needs biofeedback therapy?
Children with certain types of problems during urination including:
- Incontinence (wetting)
- Pain with urination (peeing)
- Urine frequency or urgency
- Many urinary tract infections
- Abnormal urine stream
- Bladder does not empty completely
Who will perform my child's biofeedback therapy?
Urology nurse practitioners will perform your child's biofeedback therapy.
The therapy is not performed by your doctor, but you will meet with your doctor on another day to review the results.
How will my child's biofeedback therapy be performed?
- Six stickers attach to a computer by wires and put on your child;
- One sticker on each side of the anus (butt), one on each hip bone and one on each side of the belly button.
- During the biofeedback computer game, your child will squeeze and relax their pelvic floor muscles to move a character up and down through different levels of difficulty.
- When your child feels like their bladder is full, they will urinate into a special toilet that collects and measures the urine. This special toilet is in an exam room and not in a bathroom, but the nurse or nurse practitioner may not need to be in the room when your child urinates.
- After your child has urinated, the nurse practitioner will gently remove the stickers.
- Then an ultrasound machine will be used by the nurse practitioner to find out how much urine is left over in your child’s bladder.
How can I help my child practice for biofeedback therapy at home?
- Place a small, flexible ball (about the size of a grapefruit) between your child’s thighs. Your child should then squeeze the ball for 10 seconds, then relax for 30 seconds. This can be repeated 10 times, two times each day.
- While peeing, your child should focus on relaxing their pelvic floor muscles. Slowly breath out (like blowing out birthday candles) while peeing can help with this.
- Your child can sing the ABC’s song two times in their head when peeing to ensure you are fully emptying your bladder.
- Remember healthy bladder and bowel habits: Drinking water, peeing every two to three hours and pooping every day.