As your child’s diet changes and develops to include more solid foods, gut health, and bowel and urinary changes can often occur. Some may be the result of changes in their diet, which might be temporary, while others can point to digestive issues that require a medical assessment.

Issues with eating and drinking, medication, diet and mobility can all have an impact on the health of the digestive system (gut), which includes the functions and organs that help the body break down and absorb food.

Young children with CP often experience digestive, bowel and bladder problems, including bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, undernourishment, and malnutrition.

These gut health issues can be caused or affected by different aspects of your child’s CP. Spasticity and muscle spasms, swallowing difficulties, issues with mobility and posture, and excess drooling can all affect their gut health.

Malnutrition may occur due to food not being swallowed properly, or if your child is spitting, holding food in their mouth for a long time, is vomiting or has diarrhea. Malnutrition is a serious issue that can lead to poor growth, muscle loss, weight problems and impaired motor function.

Children with CP may also be at higher risk of developing specific digestive issues, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This is a condition that affects the gut and can result in bloating, diarrhea, constipation and gas.

There are many treatment options for children with CP who have digestive issues, so if you have any concerns about your child’s gut health, it’s important to seek advice from your healthcare team as soon as possible. Early assessment and treatment by a gastroenterologist can help prevent issues from becoming worse.

For more serious gut issues, such as when a child cannot eat or has difficulty swallowing, the treatment option may be percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (often called PEG) feeding. This is when a surgical tube is inserted into the child’s stomach and taped to their belly. It will stay in for as long as the child needs it.

If your child requires a PEG tube, you will be shown how to give nutritious fluids through the tube to help prevent the risk of malnutrition. Your healthcare team will also support you to manage your child’s PEG feeding and care for the tubing.