Gut discomfort in toddlers: can nutrition bring a solution?

More than 10% of all toddlers suffer chronic abdominal pain, which has in less than 10% an organic cause. The abdominal pain which appears in the period of infancy and toddlerhood may negatively influence development and introduce behavioral changes, parental stress and depression; influencing quality of life in older toddlers. Functional constipation is likely to be the most frequent reason for chronic recurrent abdominal pain. Dietary history shows that many toddlers do not drink enough and eat insufficient amounts of fiber. Moreover, withholding behavior is frequent at this age. Interventions with pro- and prebiotics, but also partially hydrolyzed protein in young toddlers, which focus on changing stool consistency and frequency are effective.