Probiotics for children: use in diarrhea

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Microbiology
• Clinical Nutrition

Background:

• The use of probiotics for pediatric diarrheal diseases is growing.
• Probiotics, including lactic acid bacteria and Saccharomyces boulardii, have been studied extensively.
• Meta-analyses provide evidence for their efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence for probiotic efficacy in pediatric gastrointestinal disorders.
• To identify areas where more research is needed.

Main Methods:

• Review of double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled studies.
• Analysis of available meta-analyses.
• Examination of trials in infectious diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease.

Main Results:

• Probiotics show efficacy in preventing community-acquired and nosocomial diarrhea.
• Evidence supports their use in treating infectious diarrhea, reducing duration by about one day.
• Lactobacillus GG demonstrated effectiveness in viral diarrheas.
• Limited evidence for efficacy in maintaining Crohn's disease remission in children.

Conclusions:

• Probiotics are effective for certain pediatric diarrheal diseases, particularly viral infections.
• More research is required to understand their role in other pediatric gastrointestinal conditions, including pharmacokinetics and mechanisms of action.
• Specific probiotic strains and combinations need further investigation for various disorders.