Gut Health and Our little Ones

No matter how big or small, young or old, we all have a gut that needs support regardless of age; the gut is in various stages and has different needs. Did you know that when a baby is born, the little one's gut health is low? The mother provides babies with exposure to bacteria that start the creation of their gut microbiome. Babies are born with few microbes, which require support in the first few years of life in 3 distinct phases. In the study, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, USA) A developmental phase (3—14 months); a transitional phase (15-30 months); and a stable phase (31 months onward). However, this doesn't mean gut microbiota maturation ends at 2.5 years of age. Once they leave the womb, its time to build their gut microbiome. (4)

Like adults, 70% of children's immune systems are in their gut. Just like adults, children require gut support via food (prebiotics and probiotics), movement, reduced stress, and monitoring frequent consumption of antibiotics and medications. Our little ones need their gut microbiome to be diverse as us to help fight off viruses and infection and reduce the risk of functional syndromes.

There are two types of gastrointestinal (GI) conditions organic diseases and functional syndromes. Typically an organic disease occurs naturally, and a person will be born with the disease. A functional syndrome is typically stressful due to the can be prevented, and lifestyle and food can be a catalyst for the debilitating symptoms felt by the individual. Functional GI disorders that you need to know are:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - IBS is a chronic, often debilitating, functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder with symptoms that include abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel behaviors, such as constipation and/or diarrhea, or alternating between the two. (2)

• Functional dyspepsia - a destruction in the motility of the upper digestive tract. symptoms include pain , fullness and bloating and inability to finish meals. Other common symptoms include heartburn, sour taste in mouth, excessive burping, nausea and sometimes vomiting. (3)

• Functional abdominal pain- Discomfort in the abdominal area sometimes it can mimic a sharp pain or a dull continuous pain.

These functional syndromes can cause discomfort and mood disorders in our little ones, so gut health could be to blame if your child has frequent tantrums. One study involving 345 children found that 22.6% of them had IBS according to the ROME III diagnostic criteria. These children were more likely to suffer from constipation-predominant IBS and to have parents with IBS or mothers who suffer from depression. (1)

Children with functional GI problems can also suffer from mental health problems like anxiety and depression. They are unsure which comes first, either the anxiety and depression that causes constipation or bathroom issues that occur, like painful bowel movements that propel anxiety and depression. It seems to be a vicious cycle that can occur in children. (1)

I know it can be difficult to get your little ones to eat various foods. If you are a parent or have been around children, you know that many children tend to have a very simple palate, only craving foods like pizza, fresh fries, chicken nuggets, and other low-nutrient-dense foods. I get that it's hard to get them to try other foods that will support their gut health, and just like us, they do gravitate towards high sugar, high fat, and salty foods. It would help if you introduced your children to more nutrient-dense foods or provided probiotics to support their gut health. Try your best to introduce one new food in various forms to support our little ones. To all my parents, I know you have a lot on your plate to ensure your children get everything they need to be the best they can be. Keep doing your best to support their health and well-being.

Tips:

1. Breastfeed as much as you can; They saw that infants who were breastfed or at least partially breastfed had higher levels of Bifidobacterium during the developmental stage. These bacteria, known to be very abundant early in life, have probiotic properties. (4)

2. Provide a variety of foods because this increases gut diversity, allowing the gut microbiome to thrive. *Reminder it takes around 10 times to introduce a food to a child for them to start to like it.

3. Vaginal birth was associated with a temporary increase of Bacteroides bacteria and increased gut diversity and maturation during the infant's first years. (4)

Disclaimer: This blog contains the opinions and ideas of its authors and is a guide to support your health. It is intended to provide helpful general information on the subjects it addresses. It is not a substitute for the advice of the reader's physician (s) or other medical professionals based on the reader's own individual conditions, symptoms, or concerns. Readers should consult the appropriate health professional on any health matter. The author specifically disclaims all responsibility for injury, damage, or loss that the reader may incur as a direct or indirect consequence of following any directions or suggestions given.

References

1. GI Society.Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.”Children and functional GI problems.https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/children-functional-gi-problems/. 5 December 2022

2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). GI Society, Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/ibs/

3. Functional Dyspepsia. GI Society. Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/functional-dyspepsia/

4. Christopher J. Stewart, Nadim J. Ajami, Jacqueline L O’Brien et al. Temporal development of the gut microbiome in early childhood from the TEDDY study, Nature, 2018. Doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0617-x