If your kiddo is always complaining about tummy aches, feeling “blah” after eating, dealing with eczema flare-ups, or struggling with focus and mood swings — it’s not just bad luck (and no, you’re not crazy for wondering if something deeper is going on). The root cause might be hiding in their gut.

Leaky gut — ever heard of it? It’s a fancy term for when the gut lining gets a little too loose and leaky, letting stuff through that really shouldn’t be getting into the bloodstream (like undigested food particles, toxins, and even germs). Once that happens, the immune system freaks out, and all kinds of symptoms can show up — in the belly and the brain.

What Does Leaky Gut Look Like in Kids?

Leaky gut can be sneaky, showing up in ways that don’t seem connected to the gut at all. Some clues you might notice:

• Digestive drama — bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux, or just a “sensitive tummy”

• Food fights — new or worsening food sensitivities (gluten, dairy, etc.)

• Focus struggles — brain fog, trouble concentrating, or “scattered” thinking

• Big emotions — anxiety, mood swings, meltdowns, or even depression

• Skin surprises — eczema, rashes, or acne that just won’t quit

• Tired all the time — even after a good night’s sleep

• Weird aches & pains — growing pains, joint stiffness, or muscle soreness

• Frequent illnesses — constant colds, ear infections, or even autoimmune issues like PANS, PANDAS, or thyroid problems

Why Does the Gut Get Leaky?

There’s no single cause — it’s usually a perfect storm of modern life working against our kids’ guts. Some of the biggest culprits:

1. Processed Food & Junky Snacks

All those ultra-processed, sugary, or artificially colored foods? They mess with the gut lining AND feed the wrong kind of bacteria. And gluten — especially in kids with sensitive guts — can be like sandpaper to that delicate gut wall.

2. Stress (Yes, Even for Kids!)

Whether it’s school stress, social anxiety, sensory overload, or even poor sleep — stress ramps up cortisol, which makes the gut barrier weaker. That’s why anxious kids often have tummy troubles too.

3. Antibiotic Overload & Imbalanced Gut Bugs

Most kids have had multiple rounds of antibiotics — sometimes for ear infections, strep, or even just-in-case. Antibiotics wipe out the good bugs along with the bad, leaving the gut more vulnerable to invaders.

4. Hidden Infections

Things like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), yeast overgrowth, parasites, and even chronic viral infections can damage the gut wall over time.

5. Environmental Toxins

Kids today are swimming in a sea of chemicals — from pesticides on food to plastics in water bottles. These can disrupt gut balance and trigger inflammation, making leaky gut more likely.

6. Medications Like Ibuprofen

Over-the-counter meds like ibuprofen can be hard on the gut lining, especially when used often for fevers, growing pains, or sports injuries.

7. Food Sensitivities

When your child keeps eating foods their body doesn’t tolerate well (like dairy, gluten, or processed seed oils), it’s like constantly poking the gut lining with a sharp stick. Ouch.

Why Should Parents Care About Leaky Gut?

Because the gut is ground zero for your child’s immune system, brain function, mood, and even hormone balance. When the gut’s unhappy, everything else starts to fall apart. And since kids’ guts are still developing, they’re even more vulnerable than adults!

I see this all the time in my practice — kids struggling with ADHD, anxiety, eczema, autoimmune flares, or chronic tummy troubles, only to discover that the gut was the missing piece of the puzzle.

How Do We Figure Out If It’s Leaky Gut?

In my functional medicine practice, I use advanced testing (no, not the basic tests from your regular pediatrician) to dig deeper:

• Zonulin Testing — this looks at how "leaky" the gut actually is.

• Stool Testing — to check for infections, inflammation, and enzyme function.

• Food Sensitivity Panels — to find out which foods might be triggering immune I work with parents just like you to uncover hidden gut issues (and so much more) — using advanced functional lab testing, customized protocols, and real-world strategies your family can actually stick with.

• Nutrient Testing — because leaky gut can make it hard to absorb key nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins.

How Do We Heal a Leaky Gut? (Hint: It’s More Than Probiotics)

Gut healing is not one-size-fits-all — but here’s the roadmap I use with families:

✅ Remove triggers — inflammatory foods, infections, toxins
✅ Replace — digestive support like enzymes and stomach acid
✅ Rebuild & Reinoculate — probiotics, prebiotics, and gut-loving foods
✅ Repair — nutrients like L-glutamine, collagen, and zinc
✅ Rebalance — stress management, sleep support, and movement

It’s not about a “perfect diet” — it’s about giving your child’s gut the chance to calm down, rebuild, and thrive.

Ready to Get to the Root of Your Child’s Symptoms?

If you’re tired of being told “it’s just stress” or “they’ll grow out of it,” I’m here to say: There is a root cause, and we can find it together.

Let’s get your kid feeling better from the inside out — and help YOU stop feeling like a detective every time they complain about a tummy ache.

• 👉 [Schedule a consultation today] and let’s get started.

References

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Hasan N, Yang H. Factors affecting the composition of the gut microbiota, and its modulation. PeerJ. 2019 Aug 16;7:e7502. doi: 10.7717/peerj.7502. PMID: 31440436; PMCID: PMC6699480. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6699480/

Odenwald MA, Turner JR. Intestinal permeability defects: is it time to treat? Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Sep;11(9):1075-83. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2013.07.001. Epub 2013 Jul 12. PMID: 23851019; PMCID: PMC3758766. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23851019/

Fasano A. Leaky gut and autoimmune diseases. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2012 Feb;42(1):71-8. doi: 10.1007/s12016-011-8291-x. PMID: 22109896.

Bischoff SC, Barbara G, Buurman W, Ockhuizen T, Schulzke JD, Serino M, Tilg H, Watson A, Wells JM. Intestinal permeability--a new target for disease prevention and therapy. BMC Gastroenterol. 2014 Nov 18;14:189. doi: 10.1186/s12876-014-0189-7. PMID: 25407511; PMCID: PMC4253991.