This resource from the IntechOpen website describes how constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder in children with cerebral palsy, which affects up to 74%. Children with cerebral palsy are at a high risk of gut dysbiosis. Prebiotics and probiotics may modulate gut microbiota and influence brain functions. Probiotics are defined as “live organisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” Prebiotics are a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms that confer a health benefit. Both probiotics and prebiotics have been shown to improve the gut microbiota and confer an improvement in the characteristics of stools such as the history of painful defecation, the presence of fecal mass in the rectum, and stool frequency in children with cerebral palsy.

A strong bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and the enteric system exists, which is known as the gut-brain axis, which regulates gastrointestinal motility, gastric secretion, blood flow, gut barrier integrity, immune response, and visceral sensations. The use of probiotics and prebiotics can modulate the production of bioactive compounds that have an impact on the gut-microbiota-brain axis and brain functions in children with cerebral palsy.