Refer a child with bowel or bladder problems
From January 2027, referrals will be accepted from physicians and nurse practitioners in Ontario for children aged 2 and older with functional bowel and bladder problems (paediatric, or pediatric, bowel and bladder dysfunction): constipation, soiling (encopresis), bedwetting (enuresis) and daytime wetting, urgency or frequency. Please read the acceptance criteria below before referring; a referral that falls outside them will be declined with a suggested pathway.
Referrals open in January 2027
How to refer
The clinic starts accepting referrals in January 2027, and the routes below will be ready by then. Please do not send referrals before that.
- Ontario eReferral (Ocean)
- The clinic's Ocean eReferral listing will be linked here before referrals open in January 2027.
- Fax
- The fax number will be published here once the line is active.
- The referral form on this site
- The form opens on this page in January 2027.
Referral criteria
Referrals accepted routinely
- Functional constipation
- Encopresis
- Primary nocturnal enuresis
- Daytime urgency or frequency
- Infrequent voiding
- Suspected dysfunctional voiding without red flags
Referrals accepted but reviewed by the physician before booking
These referrals are accepted but the physician reviews them first and may ask for more information or suggest a different pathway:
- Secondary enuresis
- Daytime symptoms plus bedwetting
- Recurrent afebrile UTIs
- Multiple failed prior treatments
- Significant ADHD, anxiety, autism or developmental complexity
- Prior urology or GI involvement
Referrals the clinic does not accept
The following presentations need in-person or hospital-based assessment and are declined at the referral stage. Please refer them to general paediatrics, paediatric gastroenterology, paediatric urology or nephrology as appropriate, or to an emergency department when acute:
- Child under 2 unless specifically accepted
- Suspected non-functional constipation
- Delayed meconium history
- Poor growth or malnutrition concern
- Persistent blood in stool without fissure
- Severe abdominal distension
- Bilious vomiting
- Suspected neurologic abnormality
- Urinary retention
- Recurrent febrile UTIs
- Known complex urologic anomaly
- Suspected abuse or safeguarding concern
- Medically unstable child
Children under 2
Children under 2 are not seen routinely. If you believe a referral is still appropriate, say so in the referral and explain why; the physician will decide before the family is contacted.
What to include
- Child's full name, date of birth, sex, and Ontario health card number with version code.
- Parent or guardian name, relationship, email address and phone number.
- Reason for referral and duration of symptoms.
- Relevant history, current medications, treatments already tried and how the child responded.
- Other providers involved (for example urology, gastroenterology, pelvic floor physiotherapy).
- Your name, role, clinic, billing number, and a fax number or email address for the consultation note.
- Any relevant results (growth, urinalysis, imaging) as attachments.
What to expect
- Acknowledgement to the referrer within 2 business days.
- A decision (accepted, more information requested, or declined with a suggested pathway) and, when accepted, a booking confirmation within 14 days.
- A consultation note faxed or emailed to you after the visit, and to any other provider you name.
- If the family cannot be reached or declines booking, the referral is returned to you with a note.
A one-page referral guide
The criteria, what to include and how to refer on a single page, to print or save to your EMR.
Pages to share with families
Families cannot refer themselves. These pages explain the referral and the clinic to parents and guardians in plain language.
Referrals open in January 2027
The clinic will be accepting patients starting January 2027. The online referral form will open on this page at that time.