Sometimes called the ‘friendly bacteria’ probiotics ( Microbiotica) are credited with easing tummy trouble,(1)eczema,(2) and more.  many of you will have heard the term probiotics broadcast across all forms of media. Why are they so important?

Research show that they can

Improve immunity! Prevents diarrhea! Helps calm colic and many other digestive symptoms . Can prevent allergy and food hypersensitivity. (3) n fact the widely accepted definition of probiotics is “live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.”

Can they really make your child healthier? 

Every parent wants to give their child the very best start in life so by setting your baby up for lifelong optimal health is one of the best gifts you can ever provide. By starting life with a healthy gut and thriving immune system your child will be set up to better able to fight off infections avoid inflammatory conditions such as allergies, eczema, and asthma, and prevent chronic illnesses including auto immune diseases.

Babies are born with a virtually sterile gut and their first tranche of bacteria comes from the mother’s vagina. Consequently, babies born by Caesarean section have a different mix of bacteria from vaginal births (4) After birth babies naturally introduce bacteria to their gut through the breast milk and later through the food they eat and the environment they live in. These bacteria are an important part of the way that humans digest food and extract all the necessary nutrients and also play a role in your baby’s developing immune system. Giving antibiotics, which are often necessary in the first 3 years of life can unfortunately eradicate the good bacteria in the gut. Help and support is at hand and research indicates Probiotic supplements are intended to aid the bacterial colonization of your baby’s gut or to restore it when it has been disrupted.

Research also indicates that probiotics are safe and well-tolerated in normal, healthy infants and children. Good tolerance has been observed in premature infants, very low birth weight babies and in HIV-infected children and adults. Probiotics are also safe to use in late pregnancy. The World Allergy Organization has observed that if probiotics are given to mothers in the last trimester and newborns for the first three months infantile asthma and eczema can be reduced by up to 50%.

So what does this mean to you as a parent?

We have looked at how using probiotics can give your child a strong foundation for optimal health. But now you might be wondering what to look for? Many parents spend hours researching the best and safest car seats, cots, and toys for our babies, so choosing an infant probiotic plays an equally important of a role in their wellbeing!

You may want to consider a product that is hypoallergenic. Products that contain harmful fillers or dyes, inflammatory ingredients; such as  gluten, dairy, corn, and soy can actually stress your baby’s immune system, potentially leading to leaky gut, and causing symptoms of food sensitivity.

Your infant probiotic should also contain a balanced blend of multiple strains of the two most important beneficial bacteria: Lactobacillus rhamnosus. and Bifido infantus (5)

It is also important that your baby’s probiotic mimic the natural diversity of a healthy infant gut (micro biome) home to over a hundred trillion friendly bacteria by the age of 3 years. which is why you need a blend of multiple strains.

If you think of a micro biome like a thriving rainforest with many different species of plants working symbiotically to maintain the balance, you will understand the need to make sure you’re growing a diverse set of flora, not just one species of plant!

No one knows if or when their baby is going to be affected by allergies. However, whilst probiotics can help to prevent allergic conditions such as eczema, the effects of probiotic supplements in infants can last for years – it seems like there’s no excuse not to supplement with probiotics!

The Devon Allergy Clinic with over 10 years of the experience in allergy and digestive disorders in both children and adults have formulated both children 0-7 years  KIDS TUMMY-PALS POWDER and adult probiotics HIGH PRO-BIO.

Quality assured

Our products are manufactured in the UK under GMP (Good

Manufacturing Practice) and ISO 9001 standards.

 

1 Pediatric January 2005 volume 115 issue 1

2 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

3 Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition: November 2008 – Volume 47 – Issue – p S38–S40

http://journals.lww.com/jpgn/Fulltext/2008/11002/Probiotics_in_Allergy_Management.2.aspx

4 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Birth by cesarean section, allergic rhinitis, and allergic sensitization among children with a parental history of atopy

5 the Lancet
Volume 361, Issue 9372, 31 May 2003, Pages 1869-1871