Have you ever considered that your child’s behavior (nerves, aggression, contraction) may have less to do with the genes he inherited from you and more with the “friendly” bacteria in his gut? Neither we. However, a New York Times article by scientist Mark Lyte, who has been studying monkey feces for years, states that “the germs in our gut communicate with our nervous system, using the same neurochemicals that send messages to the brain. ».
So no one can dispute the connection between gut and brain.
In fact, scientists have already discovered that gut microorganisms produce mood-regulating chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin, which not only play a role in intestinal disorders, but also in severe depression and anxiety. Another study from Ohio State University found an association between infant gastrointestinal bacteria and chronic diseases they may have suffered from, such as obesity and asthma.
In the study, the researchers concluded that “children with the most genetically diverse types of intestinal bacteria are more likely to exhibit behaviors associated with good mood, learning, sociability and initiative.” These conclusions were drawn, regardless of whether the children are breastfeeding or following a specific diet.
Scientists note that this new research is extremely complex. That is, the gut can actually be connected to the brain, but in what exact way? What does it mean to have healthy bacteria in your gut? And how directly do these affect our temperament?
Scientists believe that a good mixture of probiotics can really improve the behavior of children aged 2-3 years and not only – as they say, can have a significant long-term effect on problems such as autism and ADHD.
According to another study published in the journal Nature, 75 newborns were randomly given the probiotic strain lactobacillus rhamnosus or a placebo drug. Thirteen years later, 17.1% of children given placebo developed a neuropsychiatric disorder, such as ADHD or autism, while none – but none! – had such a disorder in children taking the probiotic.
The researchers concluded that supplements with probiotics in the diet of children, from an early age (especially those containing the strain lactobacillus rhamnosus), can significantly reduce the risk of disorders, especially those in the autism spectrum.
Finally, another study showed that the same probiotic strain can even reduce the occurrence of food allergies in children, especially those related to nuts.
Research into the role of probiotics in a child’s general behavior and potential health and neuropsychological problems is still at a very early stage. And in no case should we give our child nutritional supplements with probiotics, if we do not first have the consent of our pediatrician. However, if there is a conclusion for us parents from the above research, it is that it is good to insist that our children regularly consume natural sources of probiotics, such as yogurt, drinking yogurt, milk with additional probiotics, milk that has fermented and kefir (sour milk). They certainly have nothing to lose, and it is possible that they will show more positive behavior in general.
