Probiotics, or “good” bacteria, are popular supplements that promote gut health and restore healthy microbiome for people of all ages. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, some clinical trials have shown the use of probiotics to be effective and suggested as a therapeutic or preventive option for a variety of childhood diseases. Probiotics or supplements with healthy bacteria can help with common childhood digestive issues like gastroenteritis, lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrhoea and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Moreover the gut health-promoting bacteria may also prevent allergies and improve skin disorders like eczema in infants and children. They can also help alleviate tummy problems caused by taking antibiotics, which can damage a child’s “good” gut bacteria and known as “antibiotic-associated diarrhoea” [1].
The utmost importance when selecting a probiotic for a child is the safety and purity of the probiotic supplements either as a food dietary or pharmaceutical products. The strains of probiotics which are recommended and considered as safe for children include species of Lactobacillus (L acidophilus, L rhamnosus, L bulgaricus, L reuteri, L casei) and Bifidobacterium. Other probiotic strains also include Saccharomyces boulardii, Streptococcus and Enterococcus species and Propionibacterium species [2]. The suggested dosage for children is in the range of 1 to 10 billion colony forming units/day [3]. Overdoses of probiotics may potentially cause side effects and for some individuals like preterm infants or children with compromised immune systems, the use of probiotics could be harmful. Therefore, it is always advisable for parents to consult a physician before giving high doses of probiotics to children.
“Research has shown that bacteria talk to the brain and our immune system,” says Rinarani Sanghavi, M.D., Director of Neurogastroenterology and GI Motility at Children’s Health℠ and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern. She added that probiotics may play a huge role in brain development, cognition and mood because each child has their own individual beneficial microbiome in their gut but there are many different types that may or may not exist in your gut. Therefore introducing appropriate probiotic strains in safe quantities may not have any effect and recommended to give the probiotics supplements to the kids at the age of 1 year and above [4]. Additionally, make an effort to limit your child’s exposure to oral antibiotics, which can kill off good bacteria in your child’s gut. Prevention always better than cure!
There are so many probiotic supplements out there that it can be confusing when trying to pick the best for your little one. Generally you want a probiotic containing more than 2 Billion CFUs and at least 3 different strains. Take note to go through the ingredient list to make sure to avoid preservatives, additives, fillers or contaminants.
Oommi Probiotics + Probiotics + Multivitamins is formulated to be safe for children of all ages. Probiotics infused with Prebiotics (food for probiotics) -> survives 10x better than yogurt! Made with quality ingredients, without unnecessary ingredients.
Oommi Prebiotic + Probiotic Contains: –
- 4.5 Billion CFUs
- 6 different strains of probiotics from Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus & Streptococcus family
- Probiotics from Inulin
- Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D & E
- No added additives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners & colouring
Taking 1 sachet per day allows more of the probiotics to get into your kids large intestines to give the most benefits for overall health.
*Kids age 1 to 6 years old should start with half a sachet/day. After 1 week, gradually increase to 1 sachet/day.
References
- Hojsak, I., Fabiano, V., Pop, T.L., Goulet, O., Zuccotti, G.V., Çokuğraş, F.C., Pettoello‐Mantovani, M. and Kolaček, S., 2018. Guidance on the use of probiotics in clinical practice in children with selected clinical conditions and in specific vulnerable groups. Acta Paediatrica, 107(6), pp.927-937.
- Didari, T., Solki, S., Mozaffari, S., Nikfar, S. and Abdollahi, M., 2014. A systematic review of the safety of probiotics. Expert opinion on drug safety, 13(2), pp.227-239.
- Johnston BC, Supina AL, Ospina M, and Vohra S. 2007. Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. (2):CD004827.
- https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/should-kids-take-probiotics
