Surveys have found that 10-20% of children have been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of abdominal pain, distention, diarrhea and constipation can be very debilitating for the child and distressing for the parents.
A study conducted by Dr. Ruggiero Francavilla published in the Journal of Pediatrics in 2011 evaluated the benefits of probiotics versus a placebo in alleviating IBS symptoms in children.
The team of researchers studied 141 Italian children over the course of eight weeks. The children, whose ages ranged from five to 14, were divided into three groups, two receiving a probiotic supplement and one receiving a placebo. Results from the study concluded that those taking the probiotic had a 50% reduction in IBS symptoms compared to the placebo group.
If your child has been diagnosed with IBS and struggles with ongoing symptoms, you may want to consider a trial of a high quality probiotic like EndoMune Jr.
It is always best to check with your child’s physician before starting a probiotic.