Why Consider Stool Testing For Children? | with Michele Grosvenor

As parents, we always want the best for our children—especially when it comes to their health. If your child is struggling with ongoing tummy troubles, catching everything that is going around or even having behavioural issues, it may be time to consider comprehensive stool testing.

Stool testing offers a deep dive into your child’s gut health and provides a detailed look at their microbiome—a complex ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms living in their digestive tract. When this ecosystem isn’t balanced, it can cause health issues and symptoms.

What Is Comprehensive Stool Testing?

Comprehensive stool testing is cutting-edge stool analysis that uses multiple testing techniques and biomarkers to determine who lives in your child’s microbiome and how they may be impacting their health. Techniques like shotgun metagenomic sequencing enable the identification of over 28,000 bacterial species to map out your child’s microbiome populations and determine their bacterial dominance to support targeted treatment

This type of testing assesses markers like:

• Bacterial imbalances
• Parasites and viruses
• Fungal overgrowth such as Candida
• Intestinal inflammation markers
• Digestive function
• Immune markers like secretory IgA
• Leaky gut indicators like Zonulin

Why Consider This Type Of Testing For Your Child?

Gets to the Root of Chronic Symptoms

Children with chronic digestive issues—like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, or stomach pain—may not get clear answers from standard stool tests. This type of stool testing offers a much deeper look and can reveal hidden infections or imbalances contributing to these persistent symptoms.

Supports Immune System Health

Over 70% of the immune system is located in the gut. If your child is frequently sick, experiences allergies, or has eczema or asthma, comprehensive stool testing can help identify gut issues that may weaken immune function or increase inflammation.

Helpful In Behavioural + Neurological Concerns

There is a strong link between the gut and brain, known as the gut-brain axis. Many children with ADHD, autism, mood disorders or anxiety have been found to have gut imbalances. Comprehensive stool testing can detect things like Candida and Clostridia species overgrowths, which may influence behaviour and brain function of your child.

Personalised Nutrition + Supplement Plans

Because results are so detailed, they help guide naturopaths to formulate a targeted, personalized treatment plan based on your child’s unique microbiome. This may include:

• Probiotics and/or prebiotics to support improving microbiome populations and diversity
• Herbal antimicrobials to reduce identified identified pathogen overgrowths
• Enzyme support to optimise nutrient absorption
• Gut-healing nutrients to reduce inflammation and heal leaky gut
• Dietary adjustments to support optimising gut health

Early Intervention + Prevention

By identifying microbial imbalances and inflammatory markers early, comprehensive stool testing can help prevent the development of long-term gastrointestinal issues and is a powerful way to support your child’s long-term wellness.

Some common reasons to do stool testing in children:

• Chronic constipation or diarrhoea
• Reflux, bloating and abdominal pain
• Food sensitivities or allergies
• Eczema, rashes or asthma
• Fatigue or failure to thrive
• Mood swings, anxiety or behavioural challenges
• Diagnoses like ADHD or autism
• Frequent illnesses or poor immune resilience

How Is This Test Done?

Comprehensive stool test is a non-invasive test done in the comfort of your own home. You’ll receive a stool collection kit with easy-to-follow instructions and once the sample is sent to the lab results are usually available in approximately 3-4 weeks.

Final Thoughts

Comprehensive stool testing can be a game changer for families dealing with unresolved health issues in children. Instead of guessing what's going on in your child’s gut, you get a clear, scientific snapshot that can lead to more precise and effective treatments.

Love Michele

If your child is dealing with ongoing tummy troubles, catching everything that is going around or even having behavioural issues, it may be time to consider comprehensive stool testing. Book a consultation with Michele and start getting the support you need.

Michele has years of experience supporting families and taking a personalised approach to improve your child(rens) health.