Categories: HEALTH & WELLNESS

Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome in Children

“Mommy, my tummy hurts.” Hearing this from your child could mean a variety of different things. She’s had too much candy. He ate something that didn’t agree with him. However, if stomach complaints are common and coupled with other specific symptoms, your child could have leaky gut syndrome.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

In a child with leaky gut syndrome, the lining of the stomach and or intestines is more porous than it should be, allowing protein molecules to enter the bloodstream, causing allergic reaction and chronic inflammation.

What Causes Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Several different factors may contribute to the development of this syndrome. Some examples are:

Prolonged Antibiotic Use – Erodes the digestive tract.

Use of NSAID Pain Relievers – Erodes the digestive tract.

Insufficient Digestive Enzymes – The body is unable to properly digest and absorb nutrients.

Chronic Stress – If a child’s body is in constant “fight or flight” mode, blood flow to the digestive system is greatly reduced and the stomach and intestines cannot repair themselves.

Processed Food – A diet consisting of mostly or all processed food can contribute to serious digestive maladies including leaky gut syndrome.

Symptoms

Leaky gut syndrome can be difficult to diagnose because of the wide variety of symptoms associated with it. However, there are a few specific signs to watch out for:

Chronic Stomach Complaints

Diarrhea or Constipation

Brain Fog/Learning Disabilities

Irritability/Hostility

Chronic Illness

Allergies

Food Intolerance(s)

A child with this syndrome is much more prone to infection because the immune system is always running high, trying to combat the protein molecules that leak into the bloodstream. The result may be a very irritable, agitated, anxious, confused child who seems to be in constant pain and seems to have trouble with learning, behavior and coordination. The symptoms vary with each child as each body will respond differently to the onslaught of protein molecules entering the body.

Treatment

Treating leaky gut syndrome can be a challenge but it’s not impossible. It is very important for the parent to understand that this is a real illness not commonly diagnosed by conventional physicians. Here are some suggestions for helping a child with this syndrome heal and thrive:

Naturopathic Help

A visit with a local naturopath with experience treating food allergies and intolerance is a great place to start. The naturopath can do a full workup of your child, including family history, medical history, environment and diet. He may also prescribe an elimination diet to see what foods your child may have a particular intolerance to.

Elimination Diet

If you prefer, an elimination diet can be done at home to discover what foods are most bothersome. Wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, corn, shellfish and nuts are the most common food intolerances. Remove these from the diet for a period of two to three weeks then slowly reintroduce these foods one at a time to test for reaction. Keep a food diary and note all foods eaten and any reaction or lack thereof.

Probiotics

Probiotics are the friendly bacteria found in yogurt, kefir and fermented foods. Introducing a probiotic supplement to the child’s diet may help balance intestinal flora and aid in food digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Digestive Enzymes

Supplementing the diet with a digestive enzyme may help the digestive system to better break down food and assimilate nutrients from food.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a yellow spice used in traditional Indian curry dishes. Used medicinally, it eases inflammation and helps tighten intestinal walls, reducing gut permeability.