In the human gut resides a vast community of microorganisms which perform critical functions for the maintenance of whole body homeostasis. Changes in the composition and function of this community, termed microbiome, are believed to provoke disease onset, including non-communicable diseases. In this review, we debate the current evidence on the role of the gut microbiome in the pathogenesis, outcomes and management of paediatric gut disease. We conclude that even though the gut microbiome is altered in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, intestinal failure, necrotising enterocolitis and irritable bowel syndrome, there are currently very few implications for unravelling disease pathogenesis or guiding clinical practice. In the future, the gut microbiome may aid in disease differential diagnosis and prediction of clinical outcomes, and comprise a target for therapeutic interventions.
Microbiome and paediatric gut diseases