Our brains and bodies continue to mature and develop well into our adult life, and much of the critical development happens when we’re children. Understanding the gut-brain connection in children and youth can empower families and care providers to better support kids’ total health and wellness. Let’s explore this fascinating connection more closely.
What is the Gut-Brain Connection?
Many in healthcare call the gut the “second brain”: that’s how intertwined our gastrointestinal health is with our mental health. Also called the gut-brain axis, this connection impacts children (and adults) in two primary ways:
- Physically: The vagus nerve connects the gut to the brain and controls messages to the gut as well as the heart, lungs, and other vital organs.
- Chemically: Our gut microbiome makes neurotransmitters, hormones, and metabolites, all of which can affect how we feel, how we think, and how we act.
When excitement gives you “butterflies in your stomach”…
When anxiety makes your stomach clench…
When you have a “gut feeling” about someone or something…
Your gut-brain connection has swung into action to help you regulate and respond to your surroundings. Kids experience these triggers, too. But in their formative years, its responses can often dysregulate their emotions, negatively affect their immunity, or lead to out-of-character behaviors.
The More You Know, The More They Grow
Understanding the gut-brain connection in children can improve their health and wellness in numerous ways. Their cognitive function, emotional regulation, and physical health can all improve or decline based at least, in part, on their gut health. Don’t forget: the gut-brain axis is a two-way connection. So treating kids’ mental health, helping them through their emotional struggles, and keeping them physically well can all improve their gastrointestinal function.
For example:
A child stuck in a cycle of tummy aches, constipation, and diarrhea, is anxious about having accidents or getting sick to their stomach at school. Treatment focusing on the gut-brain connection might include:
- Exploring and treating their anxiety to help their bodies to relax back into a normal, more comfortable rhythm.
- Focusing on foods that are easier on their systems to help them be more relaxed overall.
Gut-brain solutions can include recommendations on the best foods for your child’s body type,, mental wellness strategies, and more. Every child is unique: their gut microbiome needs personalized attention for them to feel their best. Your first thought is likely probiotics, and that is only one potential solution. There is much more to be learned!
Your Family’s Guide in Whole Body (and Whole Belly) Health
Holistic medicine is all-encompassing, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The Franz Center is committed to whole-body, whole-mind health and wellness for children, youth, and families.
If you’re noticing signs of anxiety in your kids, or if their children’s gastrointestinal health seems out of balance, we’d love to guide you through some holistic healthcare options that can get your child feeling better, belly, brain, and all. Call our team at (321) 384-1129, or contact The Franz Center online to start your child’s total health journey today.
