Different nutraceuticals are often considered by parents of infants and children with abdominal pain and disorders of the gut-brain interaction. Herb extracts and natural compounds have long been used in traditional medicine, but clinical pediatric trials are very limited. This narrative review based on relevant studies identified through Pubmed-Medline literature search updated to October 2023, focused on the effect of nutraceuticals in infantile colic, functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome in children and adolescents. Significant reduction of colic episodes and crying time was reported in two studies on fennel (seeds oil or tea), in three studies on different multiple herbal extracts (all including fennel), in one study on Mentha piperita, and in at least two double-blind randomized controlled studies on Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 (108 CFU/day for at least 21 days) in breast-fed infants. Compared to placebo, in children with functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome a significant reduction of pain was reported in two studies supplementing peppermint oil capsules or psyllium fibers, in one study on corn fiber cookies or partial hydrolysed guar gum or a specific multiple herbal extract (STW-5) or vitamin D supplementation. To date, there is a moderate certainty of evidence with a weak grade of recommendation for Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (108 CFU/day) for reducing pain intensity in children with functional abdominal pain and for Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (1-3 x109 CFU twice daily) for reducing pain frequency and intensity in children with IBS. Further large and well-designed pediatric studies are needed to prove efficacy and safety of different herbal extracts and prolonged use of studied products in infants and children with pain disorders of the gut-brain interaction.

Background: Brief Resolved Unexplained Events (BRUEs), formerly known as Apparent Life-Threatening Events (ALTE), are concerning episodes of short duration (typically < 1 min) characterized by a change in breathing, consciousness, muscle tone, and/or skin color. In some cases, SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with episodes of BRUEs in previously healthy children.This study aimed to compare the demographic, respiratory, perinatal, and infectious characteristics in children affected by BRUE before the COVID-19 pandemic and after the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study covering January 2018 to March 2020 (pre-COVID-19) and April 2023 (during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic). Collected variables included clinical information during pregnancy and neonatal details of children with BRUE. Results: The number of children in the pre-COVID-19 period was 186 (41%); after the emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2, it was 268 (59%). The risk of infection at birth for children developing BRUE was higher during the pandemic. Children were less likely to have ongoing symptomatic infection during BRUE during the pandemic (coefficient B = 0.783; p=0.009). Respiratory symptoms during BRUE were more frequent during the pandemic (coefficient B = 0.654; p=0.052). Fever during BRUE was less likely during the pandemic (coefficient B = -0.465, p=0.046). Conclusions: The study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted children with BRUE, potentially due to changes in hygiene practices and maternal-fetal infections.

(1) Background: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) represents unexplained and sudden deaths during the sleep of infants under one year of age, despite thorough investigation. Screening for prolonged QTc or Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) should be conducted on all newborns to reduce the incidence of SIDS. Neonatal electrocardiogram (ECG) could identify congenital heart defects (CHD) early, especially those not detected at birth. Infants with prolonged QT intervals typically undergo genetic analysis for Long QT Syndrome; (2) Methods: The study involved infants aged 20-40 days, born clinically healthy, with initial ECG screening. Infants with prenatal diagnoses or signs/symptoms of CHD identified immediately after birth, as well as those who underwent ECG or echocardiogram for other clinical or historical indications, were excluded from the study. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0; (3) Results: Of the 42,200 infants involved, 2,245 were enrolled, with 39.9% being males. Subsequently, 164 children (37.8% males) with prolonged QT intervals underwent further diagnostic investigations. Genetic mutations were identified in 11 out of 18 tested children. The most common mutations were LQT1 (54.5%), LQT2 (36.4%), and LQT3 (1 patient). Medications used included propranolol (39.8%), nadolol (22.2%), inderal (11.1%), metoprolol (11.1%), and no treatment (16.7%). The most common abnormalities were focal right bundle branch block (54.5%), left axis deviation (9.2%), and nonspecific ventricular repolarization abnormalities (7.1%). Multiple anomalies were found in 0.47% of children with focal right bundle branch block. Structural abnormalities were associated with specific features in 267 patients (11.9%), primarily isolated patent foramen ovale (PFO) at 61.4%; (4) Conclusions: The screening has proven effective in early diagnosing Long QT Syndrome and other cardiac rhythm anomalies, with additional benefits in detecting mutations and/or QTc prolongations in family members. Identifying other ECG abnormalities and congenital heart malformations further enhances the benefits of the screening.