A child undergoing fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) receives healthy human donor stool by colonoscopy, enema, nasogastric (NG) tube, or capsule form—commonly referred to as “poop pills.” When severe intestinal infections, such as Clostridium difficile (C. diff), continue to worsen even after receiving antibiotic treatment, a prescription for it may be issued.
C. diff is a dangerous illness that can produce crippling diarrhea. In the United States, C. diff caused 29,000 adult fatalities in 2011 alone. Antibiotics are the first line of treatment for C. diff, however, recurrence is frequent. Antibiotics are unlikely to be effective by the third episode of severe C. diff, therefore, your child’s physician may explore FMT as a treatment alternative.
Many more illnesses are now being investigated with FMT, based on its efficacious treatment of C. diff infections. Nonetheless, it remains an experimental treatment and should not be tried without a doctor’s supervision.
Not every child is a suitable candidate for FMT. There is considerable risk associated with the procedure, especially if your child recently received a bone marrow transplant or is receiving immunosuppressive medication.
How does FMT operate?
Thousands of bacteria and other species make up the “ecosystem” of the GI tract, which supports physical health. This ecology is upset when your child receives an antibiotic, which promotes the growth of bacteria that cause illness, such as C. diff.
“Good” germs from the donor’s feces are introduced into the recipient during a fecal microbiota transplant. Good bacteria start to proliferate and stop C. diff from happening again.
Before being used for FMT, stool donors are carefully vetted, and stool samples are subjected to a battery of tests.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation, also referred to as a “stool transplant” or “poop pill,” makes use of the expanding body of information regarding the gut microbiota, or the community of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in our gastrointestinal system.
Is FMT able to treat Crohn’s disease?
Is there a promising gastrointestinal treatment for inflammatory bowel disease? That is the hypothesis underlying two recent studies looking into the possible application of FMT in the management of pediatric ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Getting Ready for the FMT
Given the uncertainty surrounding the long-term effects of fecal microbiota transplant, you will be required to sign an informed consent form on your child’s behalf.
Your child’s GI tract needs to be empty for the transplant to go through. This usually entails not eating or drinking anything but clear liquids for the day before the procedure.
To induce a bowel movement, your child with a mild to moderate C. diff infection might also be instructed to drink a liquid; but, children with more serious infections won’t adhere to the same routine.
Concerning the FMT process
There are various FMT methods available, including:
Colonoscopy: A catheter-tipped syringe is used to inject donor stool through a thin, hollow tube that has a camera attached to it. The tube is inserted up the colon.
Enema: A fecal enema frequently requires multiple procedures due to the donor stool’s inability to reach the colon, while being less intrusive than a colonoscopy.
Nasogastric (NG) tube: A thin, flexible feeding tube is used by medical professionals to pass donor stool down a patient’s neck and into their stomach through their nostrils.
pill form, commonly referred to as “poop pills.”
FMT’s future
According to recent research, children with certain GI disorders, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, may benefit from FMT. As a result of research showing that introducing “good” bacteria might correct an immune system imbalance, we are also beginning to explore FMT for peanut allergy.
FMT is a popular subject among physicians and researchers. About 170 studies on FMT with a range of applications, including type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis, and HIV, may be found on ClinicalTrials.gov. Additionally, researchers are examining if administering “poop pills”—a type of probiotic taken by peanut-allergic individuals—that include the “good” bacteria from a non-allergic person can prevent allergic reactions in a clinical trial at Boston Children’s Hospital.