Should probiotics be given to children?

By Martin Merzer on 11/29/2010 @ 09:47 AM

Foods fortified with probiotics -- so-called "good" bacteria -- may have some benefit for young children, but only under certain conditions, according to a new study produced for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The report, published today in the journal, Pediatrics, says that probiotics - when taken early during a bout of diarrhea - may diminish the severity of the condition, and the substances also might prevent diarrhea in children who are taking antibiotics for other conditions, according to a story by The Associated Press.

But the group cautions that it cannot recommend the routine addition of probiotics to infant formulas, and children with severely compromised immune systems or other serious illnesses should not be given probiotics.

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