Want to become a pediatric pelvic floor specialist? Dawn Sandalcidi, PT, has treated kids with constipation, bedwetting, and leaks for 30+ years. She shares how she got started, what to look for, and why PTs and OTs are built for this work.
"Children are not small adults." Dawn Sandalcidi learned that in 1993, when a urologist sent her an eight-year-old and said, "Get this kid out of my office." There were no pediatric pelvic health courses then. She built the field one patient at a time.
This episode is made for clinicians: PTs, OTs, and anyone who treats pelvic floor dysfunction. It's for you if you're wondering how to become a pelvic floor therapist, or if you treat adults and are curious about treating peds.
In Episode 1 of Explore the Floor, host Allison Ariail, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, BCB-PMD, PRPC, talks with Dawn Sandalcidi, PT, RCMT, BCB-PMD. Her message to therapists is simple: "These kids, these families need you." Dawn says nearly a third of children deal with constipation. Many families never mention it, and many doctors never ask. Pelvic health therapists are often the first to connect the dots.
In this episode:
Why Dawn says "You're constipated till proven innocent"
How a full bowel drives daytime wetting and bedwetting
Why kids with chronic constipation "live in the third trimester" (rib position, breathing, and the pelvic floor)
How to teach a child "muscle on, muscle off" with balloons, biofeedback, and a cocktail straw
Toilet training tips for neurodivergent kids
Why "leak" works better than "accident"
What to say if you treat adults and feel nervous about kids
Want to learn more? Dawn teaches Pediatrics Level 1, Treatment of Bowel and Bladder Disorders, with Herman & Wallace. https://hermanwallace.com/continuing-education-courses/pediatrics-level-1-treatment-of-bowel-and-bladder-disorders
You can read more about Dawn and her work here: https://hermanwallace.com/faculty/dawn-sandalcidi
New to pelvic health? This guide walks through how to become a pelvic floor therapist, step by step: https://hermanwallace.com/how-to-become-a-pelvic-floor-therapist
This content is not a substitute for medical care. Views expressed are not necessarily those of Herman & Wallace.
