Gut Health in Children – A Growing Concern

December 13, 2024

IBS can be an unpleasant condition that is hard enough to manage at any age but it can be especially difficult to manage in children. A survey by PrecisionBiotics® found over 55% of parents report their children face gut-related issues, with the most common symptoms reported being bloating (19%), constipation (17%), diarrhoea (15%) and abdominal pain and cramps (15%)¹.

It is therefore important to understand what IBS is and the best ways to support a child who has it. This can involve understanding the triggers for it, the best ways to manage it, and how to create a healthy gut to help ease the symptoms of IBS. Here, we take a look at what IBS can mean for a child, and what you can do as their parent or care giver.

What’s normal?

There is actually a surprisingly wide range of what is considered a healthy pattern of bowel movements: anywhere from as much as three times a day and as little as three times a week. Most children have bowel movements either once a day (39%) or 2-3 times a day (15%)². However, 23% of children in the UK currently experience bowel movement outside of the normal range.

It’s important to understand the frequency of your child’s bowel movements because this, combined with consistency, are key indicators of gut health. For consistency, it can be helpful to look at the Bristol Stool Chart in which types 3 and 4 indicate optimal gut function.

Only 45% of parents feel confident they know what healthy gut function looks like, 29% are unsure and 26% admit they have no idea. This lack of awareness highlights the need for more education. Parents should monitor changes in their child’s digestion and look for persistent symptoms, such as abdominal discomfort or irregular stools, which might suggest gut microbiota imbalance. Any changes lasting more than a week, such as infrequent movements or watery stools, may signal an imbalance or underlying issue.

Some common triggers can be:

A low fibre intake from fruits, vegetables and whole grains
Not drinking enough water
Irregular mealtimes
Antibiotics
Worry or nerves

What can you do to help a child who has gut issues:

Firstly, if you think your child has IBS it is important to see a medical professional for a proper diagnosis
It can also be It can be a good idea to keep a food diary, in order to find a pattern between what your child eats or what happens in their lives, and when they start to experience symptoms, in order to identify some of the triggers.
Try to ensure they diet has plenty of fruit, vegetables and fibre, and that they’re drinking enough water as these are all know to help support the gut.
It’s important to not load them up with large meals, so eating smaller amounts can be helpful and keeping mealtimes regular and not too late into the evening.
There is now also increased evidence that probiotics containing Bifidobacterium infatis breve and Bifidobacterium longum 35624™ can have a positive effect on children with gut health issues, however it is important you check they are suitable for your child’s age.

¹ A PrecisionBiotics® omnibus survey of 1031 UK adults, conducted in August and September 2024

² A PrecisionBiotics® omnibus survey of 1031 UK adults, conducted in August and September 2024.