As parents, it’s natural to focus on what we can see: meltdowns, poor concentration, anxiety, tummy aches, fussy eating or difficulty sleeping. These behaviours can be challenging, and while they may appear unrelated, they’re sometimes clues that something deeper is happening within a child’s developing body and brain. Looking beyond the behaviour to understand what may be contributing to it is an important part of supporting a child's overall wellbeing.
Neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affect many Australian children. According to Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), at least 1 in 40 Australians are on the autism spectrum, while ADHD affects an estimated 6 to 10 per cent of Australian children and adolescents. In addition, gastrointestinal symptoms, including constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating, are more common in children with neurodevelopmental conditions than in the general paediatric population. These digestive issues can affect comfort, sleep, mood and participation in everyday activities.
Research over the past decade has highlighted the complex relationship between the gut, brain and immune system, often referred to as the gut-brain axis. While this growing field continues to evolve, evidence suggests that nutrition, gut health, inflammation, sleep and environmental factors may all influence a child’s overall health and development. Functional Medicine Practitioner Amanda Downsborough, founder of Brain Kids, works with families to explore these interconnected factors, helping parents better understand their child’s unique health picture and develop personalised, evidence-informed strategies that complement conventional medical care.
Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection
The gut and the brain are constantly communicating. This happens through an intricate network involving the nervous system, the immune system, hormones, the gut microbiome, and chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters. Rather than functioning independently, these systems work together to influence digestion, mood, sleep, behaviour, learning and overall development. This two-way communication is known as the gut-brain axis.
Stress may affect digestion, digestive discomfort may affect sleep, and poor sleep may in turn influence behaviour. Nutrition supports healthy brain development, and the immune system interacts with both the gut and the brain. Instead of viewing these as isolated problems, understanding how they interact can provide valuable insights into a child’s overall health.
Looking Beyond Behaviour
Parents often seek help because of behaviours they observe every day, including emotional outbursts, difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, poor sleep, fussy eating, chronic constipation and frequent tummy pain. These behaviours are real and deserve careful assessment.
Amanda encourages families to ask an important question: what might my child be trying to communicate through these behaviours? Sometimes behaviour reflects developmental differences. Other times it may be influenced by discomfort, nutritional status, sleep quality, digestive health or other medical conditions that warrant further investigation. Rather than assuming there is one single cause, a whole-child approach considers multiple factors together.
The Gut Microbiome: Tiny Organisms With a Big Job
Inside every child’s digestive system lives a vast community of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms known as the gut microbiome. These microorganisms play important roles in digesting food, producing certain vitamins, supporting immune function, maintaining the intestinal barrier, and interacting with the nervous system. Scientists continue to investigate how the microbiome may influence overall health, and although research is ongoing, maintaining a healthy and diverse gut microbiome is recognised as an important part of supporting general wellbeing.
The microbiome develops rapidly during early childhood and is influenced by factors such as birth method, breastfeeding, diet, antibiotic exposure, illness and environmental factors. Every child develops a unique microbiome, which is one reason why personalised approaches to nutrition and health can be valuable.
Nutrition: Fuel for a Growing Brain
Children’s brains develop rapidly throughout infancy, childhood and adolescence. During this time, adequate nutrition provides the building blocks needed for learning, memory, attention, emotional regulation, immune function and healthy growth. Whole foods rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre help support these processes, while highly processed diets that are low in nutrient density may make it more difficult for children to meet their nutritional requirements, particularly during periods of rapid growth.
Amanda’s clinical approach recognises that every child has different nutritional needs. Rather than recommending one universal diet, she works with families to identify practical dietary strategies that suit each child’s medical history, developmental needs, sensory preferences and family circumstances.
Why Digestive Symptoms Shouldn’t Be Ignored
Many parents are surprised to learn how common digestive symptoms are in children, including constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, reflux, abdominal discomfort, excessive gas, food intolerances and irregular bowel habits.
Children don’t always have the vocabulary to explain digestive discomfort. Instead, it may present as irritability, sleep disruption, behavioural changes, reduced appetite or reluctance to attend school. Persistent digestive symptoms should always be assessed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional to exclude medical conditions that require diagnosis or treatment. Once serious conditions have been ruled out, understanding the broader picture may help guide ongoing management. Amanda frequently works with families where digestive symptoms form one part of a much larger health puzzle, alongside developmental, behavioural or immune concerns.
Every Child Is Unique
One of the most important principles of functional medicine is recognising that no two children are exactly alike. Two children with the same diagnosis may have completely different symptoms, nutritional needs, medical histories, gut health, sleep patterns, environmental exposures and family circumstances.
For this reason, Amanda avoids a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Instead, she partners with families to understand each child’s unique story before developing individualised strategies designed to support their overall health and development.
Could Inflammation Influence the Developing Brain?
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, infection or other challenges. In the short term, it plays an important role in healing and protecting the body. However, when inflammation becomes ongoing or poorly regulated, researchers are investigating how it may affect multiple body systems, including the brain and nervous system.
Emerging evidence suggests that the immune system, gut microbiome and brain communicate closely throughout childhood. This growing area of research, known as neuroimmunology, is helping scientists better understand how immune function may influence behaviour, cognition and neurodevelopment. While many questions remain, it reinforces the importance of considering children's health as an interconnected system rather than separate organs working independently.
Amanda Downsborough has a particular interest in neuroimmune health. Her approach considers how nutrition, gut health, environmental factors and immune regulation may contribute to a child’s overall wellbeing, while recognising that every child presents differently and requires an individualised assessment.
Understanding PANS and PANDAS
Some children experience a sudden and dramatic change in behaviour or functioning after an infection or immune trigger. Conditions such as Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAS) are areas of ongoing medical research and should always be assessed by appropriately qualified healthcare professionals.
Children with suspected PANS or PANDAS may experience sudden obsessive-compulsive behaviours, severe anxiety, emotional lability, changes in eating habits, sleep disturbances, behavioural regression, sensory sensitivities, urinary frequency or school refusal. Because these symptoms may overlap with other neurological, psychiatric or developmental conditions, comprehensive medical assessment is essential.
Amanda works collaboratively with families and other healthcare providers to explore factors that may influence a child’s health while ensuring children receive appropriate medical evaluation where necessary. Her goal is to complement, not replace, conventional medical care through personalised nutrition and lifestyle support.
Functional Testing: When Is It Helpful?
Not every child requires specialised testing. Many children benefit significantly from a detailed clinical history, nutritional review and comprehensive assessment before any additional investigations are considered.
Where clinically appropriate, Amanda may recommend further functional investigations to better understand a child’s health picture. Depending on the individual child, this may include assessing digestive health, nutritional status, gut microbiome, food reactions, metabolic function, immune markers or environmental influences. Functional testing is never used in isolation. Results are interpreted alongside a child’s symptoms, developmental history, medical history and family goals to help create an individualised management plan.
Nutrition as a Foundation for Brain Health
Food provides more than energy. Every meal supplies nutrients that support growth, brain development and immune function. Nutrients commonly associated with healthy brain development include omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin D, B-group vitamins, magnesium and quality protein. At the same time, fibre-rich foods help nourish beneficial gut bacteria, which contribute to digestive and immune health. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend a varied diet built around vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats to support children’s growth and development.
Amanda understands that implementing healthy eating habits can be challenging, particularly for children with sensory sensitivities, food aversions or restricted diets. Rather than expecting perfection, she works with families to develop practical strategies that are realistic, sustainable and tailored to each child’s needs.
Supporting the Whole Family
When a child faces ongoing health challenges, the impact is often felt across the entire family. Parents may spend countless hours attending appointments, researching possible answers and managing therapies while balancing work, school and family responsibilities. Siblings may also be affected as routines change to support the child’s needs.
Amanda recognises that caring for a child means supporting the family as a whole. Her consultations provide time to listen carefully, understand each family’s concerns and develop collaborative care plans that fit realistically into everyday life. By helping parents better understand their child’s unique strengths and challenges, families are often able to feel more confident in making informed decisions about nutrition, lifestyle and ongoing healthcare.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can gut health really affect my child’s behaviour?
The gut and brain communicate through a complex network involving the nervous system, immune system, hormones and gut microbiome, known as the gut-brain axis. While research continues to evolve, studies suggest that digestive health, nutrition and the gut microbiome may influence overall wellbeing, including mood, behaviour and brain function. Every child is different, so any concerns should be discussed with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
2. Does every child with autism or ADHD have gut problems?
No. Although gastrointestinal symptoms are reported more frequently in children with autism and some other neurodevelopmental conditions than in the general population, not every child experiences digestive concerns. Each child has unique health needs, which is why an individualised assessment is important.
3. What is Functional Medicine for children?
Paediatric Functional Medicine is a whole-person approach that considers nutrition, lifestyle, gut health, immune function, genetics and environmental factors alongside a child’s medical history and developmental needs. It complements, not replaces, conventional medical care and aims to develop personalised strategies that support overall wellbeing.
4. Will my child need specialised testing?
Not necessarily. Many children benefit from a detailed clinical assessment before additional investigations are considered. Where appropriate, Amanda may recommend functional or nutritional testing based on your child’s symptoms, health history and individual needs. Testing is always guided by clinical judgement rather than used routinely.
5. Can nutrition make a difference to my child’s development?
Good nutrition provides the essential building blocks needed for healthy growth, immune function and brain development. While nutrition is not a cure for developmental conditions, ensuring children receive appropriate nutrients and addressing any nutritional deficiencies can play an important role in supporting their overall health and wellbeing as part of a comprehensive care plan.
If your child’s behaviour, sleep or digestion has been leaving you with more questions than answers, it may be worth looking at the bigger picture rather than each symptom in isolation. Amanda Downsborough is a Functional Medicine and Nutrigenomics Practitioner specialising in autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions, working alongside families and their existing healthcare team. More detail on her approach is available on her Health Hunter profile.
