Category: General Concepts

Imagine you're sitting on a swing – one of the old styles with the flat wooden plank. Now imagine there are no ropes to hold onto or balance yourself. You either have to use your body to balance yourself, or you have to hold onto the plank of wood with your hands, and possibly bend […]

When I'm working with kids to help them develop better toileting mechanics, I often end up singing. We'll be in the bathroom, they're on the toilet, and I'm sitting on the floor in front of them, coaching them through (sometimes, I have such a glamorous job). From outside the bathroom, someone passing by might think […]

It wasn't fun, it wasn't comfortable, and it wasn't the outcome I had hoped for. Today, a little on me, my personal dietary challenges, and just another reminder of why I love what I do. I grew up with a bit of a lax diet. Lots of sweets, big portions, and not the greatest education […]

I recently read a study that reported that constipation can present in children as young as 4 months of age. Four months. That may seem young, but unfortunately I'd challenge that study – as a practitioner, I've seen children with constipation younger than that. When I'm working with an infant, or I'm asking an older […]

Psalm 118:5-6 Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Long ago, I would have previously answered that last part of the verse differently that I do today. I would […]

One of my first questions I ask when I'm speaking with a child about what they do on the toilet to help their body evacuate stool, is what they do to get the poop out. I ask them to show me the position they use, how long they sit – but I always ask about […]

Every day, we use different habits. Unfortunately, some of those habits can influence our life in a negative way. For example, if you habitually have a 'just in case' pee before you leave the house every day, eventually, you may not be able to stay dry through a 2 hour plane ride, because your body […]

What’s a reflex? Yes, the doctor banging a little hammer on the tendon of your knee is, in fact, a reflex. But it’s not the ONLY reflex that exists in our bodies. A reflex is basically your body’s quick and automatic response to a stimulus – you don’t need to think about it, it just […]

Yes, behavior is a significant factor towards independent toileting – either the behavior is positive, and helps your kiddo stay encouraged and participatory during toileting, OR the behavior is negative, and creates a negative environment regarding toileting – leading to screaming matches in the bathroom, fear of the bathroom or pooping, and resentment of anyone […]

This week, I gave a patient some advice that I needed to take myself. I’m a dancer – a competitive dancer. And this year, my husband and I will travel across the country to seven weekend-long competitions. We love competing, the social dancing, and the fun – but with it, comes mental challenges, head games, […]