From infant to adolescent, each with its own metrics and its own reporting rules. Nothing comparable exists on the European consumer market so far.
Gut microbiome
test for kids:
gut flora analysed
from 0 to 17
With Microbiome 360° Gut Analysis Kids we read all the DNA in one stool sample and interpret it against the developmental biology of your child's age tier, not against adult references. One sample, five age matched analysis pathways.
We are among the leading microbiome laboratories in Europe. A paediatric gut flora analysis with five dedicated age tiers and its own bioinformatic pathways has no equivalent on the European consumer market so far.
Made in Germany
No disease risk scores for children
Results in 4 to 6 weeks
GDPR compliant and pseudonymised
Paediatric gut flora analysis
Kids test kit
Microbiome 360° Gut Analysis Kids
229 €incl. VAT · Free shipping and prepaid return
- Five age tiers, each with its own reference values
- Microbiome maturity instead of an adult yardstick
- Age adjusted screening, yeasts and the resistome
- An age appropriate action plan for family life
- Lifelong access to your digital DNA database
Sequencing and analysis in Germany
One stool sample, five analysis pathways
German partner laboratory
Prepaid return postage included
Your raw data, for life
The difference
A child's microbiome is not a small adult microbiome
In infants, low diversity and a strong dominance of milk adapted organisms are normal. In an adult report exactly that would read as a striking finding. Reading a child's sample against adult references therefore leads systematically to misinterpretation. We built our own bioinformatic pathways for this.
Five tiersinstead of one reference
Infant, toddler, preschool, school age and adolescent are each read against their own reference values. The tier is chosen at checkout.
Maturityinstead of good or bad
The central question is not whether the community looks adult, but whether it is on the expected developmental path for its age.
Age rulesfor every finding
Which organisms are reported at all depends on age. C. difficile and its toxin genes are deliberately not reported under the age of two.
Nodisease risk scores
No predictions about allergy, growth, weight, metabolism, infection or later illness. Such models are not validated for children.
Who this analysis is for
- Parents who want a detailed picture of their child's gut flora.
- Families who want to place the current state after a course of antibiotics.
- Anyone who wants to base dietary questions on data rather than guesswork.
- Anyone who wants to discuss the report with their paediatrician.
What we report instead
- Microbiome maturity relative to the child's own age tier.
- Diversity and dominance, placed in an age appropriate frame.
- Functional potential as genetic capacity, not as a measured value.
- Tier specific key organisms with context rather than judgement.
Every finding carries its result type in the report: measured, inferred, association based or pure detection screening.
Infant, 0 to 12 months
The infant report evaluates a rapidly developing, milk oriented ecosystem. Low diversity, strong dominance by milk adapted organisms and limited adult type fibre fermentation can all be normal at this stage.
Microbiome maturity
Compares the sample with the expected early life succession for the infant's age and feeding stage. The result describes whether the community appears developmentally on track.
Without predicting growth, immunity, allergy or health outcomes.
Diversity and dominance for age
Measures richness, evenness and the degree to which a few organisms dominate the community. Unlike in adults, low diversity with strong Bifidobacterium dominance may be the expected infant pattern.
At this age diversity on its own is not a measure of health.
Milk adaptation
Evaluates how strongly the community is organised around milk use, particularly Bifidobacterium dominance and the handover from early oxygen tolerant pioneers.
Interpretation is linked to age and the reported feeding context.
Bifidobacterium ecology
Profiles infant relevant Bifidobacterium species, including B. longum subsp. infantis and other milk adapted or transitional species. Species level resolution separates complete HMO specialists from broader carbohydrate users.
Describes composition, not a feeding recommendation.
HMO functional profile
Estimates the genetic capacity to use human milk oligosaccharides and identifies complete versus partial utilisation patterns.
DNA based functional potential. It measures neither milk intake nor digestion nor metabolite production.
SCFA and cross feeding
Describes acetate and lactate production by early life organisms and the still developing route toward butyrate production.
Low adult type butyrate capacity before weaning is expected development, not a deficiency.
Early colonisation ecology
Assesses the handover from pioneer organisms such as Escherichia and Enterococcus toward a more anaerobic, milk adapted community.
Describes current succession from one sample. Birth events and past exposures are not reconstructed.
Immune tolerance ecology
Summarises microbial features associated in cohort research with early immune education, including bifidobacteria, milk sugar utilisation and cross feeding.
Descriptive only. Not an allergy test and not an individual risk prediction.
Antibiotic impact
Looks for a composition and resistome pattern that can occur after antibiotic exposure, such as reduced bifidobacteria and expansion of oxygen tolerant organisms.
A single sample cannot date an exposure or measure a recovery trajectory.
Stage specific microbial profile
Highlights infant relevant organisms and explains whether each finding is developmental, favourable, context dependent, pressure associated or detection only.
Age gated interpretation, so normal infant colonisers are not judged by adult thresholds.
Age adjusted screening, fungi and resistance genes
Screens selected bacterial and parasitic DNA, reports common yeasts as detection only and contextualises antimicrobial resistance genes for age.
C. difficile and its toxin genes are not reported under age two. Gut viruses are not reported because the common childhood gastroenteritis viruses are RNA viruses outside this assay's scope.
Development and nutrition
Integrates milk adaptation, fermentation and colonisation resistance into a non diagnostic developmental summary.
Assesses neither growth nor nutrient status, immune function or the gut barrier.
Personalised action plan
Provides age appropriate, non medical suggestions linked to the infant's feeding context and the report's main ecological findings.
Feeding or treatment changes belong with your paediatric care.
Toddler, 1 to 3 years
The toddler report covers the post weaning transition: from a milk adapted ecosystem to a broader, fibre fermenting community on family food. The defining question is whether adult type functions are emerging on schedule, not whether the microbiome already looks adult.
Microbiome maturity
Places the sample on the expected post weaning developmental trajectory. The emphasis is on progression rather than a fixed ideal, because this stage changes quickly.
Not a maturity grade in the sense of a health verdict.
Diversity and dominance for age
Assesses the rise in diversity and the decline of infant style dominance as the diet broadens.
Compared with toddlers, not with adults.
Ecological transition
Tracks the handover from milk sugar specialists toward fibre fermenters, resistant starch users and established anaerobes.
Shows whether the typical transition is underway, without assigning a disease label.
SCFA and cross feeding network
Estimates whether the acetate, lactate and butyrate food chain has become established after weaning. Pathway and organism coverage are assessed.
Does not measure short chain fatty acids in stool or blood.
Fibre and starch utilisation
Profiles fibre enzyme breadth and key organisms such as Ruminococcus bromii that unlock resistant starch for the wider community.
Describes functional capacity and substrate variety, not the actual diet.
Colonisation resistance
Combines anaerobe dominance, low Enterobacteriaceae pressure and emerging butyrate capacity into a gatekeeper community readout.
Describes ecological occupation, not the immune system or infection risk.
Immune development and tolerance ecology
Summarises butyrate production, maturation and other microbial features associated with a settled immune environment.
Allergy related associations are reported descriptively, never as an individual prediction.
State after antibiotics
Looks for a current post antibiotic pattern using diversity, bifidobacteria, butyrate producers, Enterobacteriaceae and resistance gene load.
One sample describes the present state but not how far or how quickly recovery has gone.
Stage specific microbial profile
Explains organisms that mark weaning, fibre network development and the transition between infant and adult type communities.
Interpreted with age context rather than adult good versus bad thresholds.
Age adjusted screening, fungi and resistance genes
Reports selected clinically relevant bacterial and parasitic DNA, common yeasts and the resistome with age specific limitations.
C. difficile is reported as detection only from age two. A finding does not establish infection.
Development and nutrition
Integrates post weaning maturation, fermentation, fibre breadth and colonisation resistance into a practical developmental summary.
Assesses neither growth nor nutrient status, allergy or barrier function.
Personalised action plan
Provides age appropriate nutrition and routine suggestions, such as widening fibre variety.
Supportive by design and not a replacement for paediatric guidance.
Preschool, 4 to 5 years
The preschool report evaluates whether a mature fibre fermenting ecosystem is becoming established while several later functions are still emerging. Particular weight goes to functional breadth, cross feeding and balanced barrier associated ecology.
Microbiome maturity
Compares the community with expected preschool development and the gradual approach toward an adult type ecosystem.
Later maturing functions are treated as developmental milestones rather than deficits.
Diversity and ecosystem balance for age
Assesses diversity together with fibre fermentation, SCFA capacity and the balance of favourable and pressure associated organisms.
Diversity alone is not treated as sufficient evidence of health.
Stage specific key organisms
Highlights the organisms most relevant to fibre network maturation, cross feeding, mucin ecology and colonisation resistance at this stage.
Each organism is explained by ecological role and age appropriate reference position.
Fibre fermentation ecosystem
Estimates breadth across resistant starch, arabinoxylan, beta glucan, pectin, fructans and other plant substrates.
A broad result indicates the enzyme systems present, but does not reconstruct actual food intake.
SCFA and cross feeding network
Evaluates butyrate, propionate, acetate and lactate recycling potential and whether these functions form a connected food chain.
Genomic potential, not a direct metabolite measurement.
Gut barrier and mucin balance
Combines butyrate support with balanced mucin turnover and the context of organisms such as Akkermansia.
Describes microbial patterns. Does not measure the gut wall, permeability or mucus thickness.
Bile acid biology
Assesses bile salt hydrolase capacity and the emergence of specialist secondary bile acid genes.
These pathways mature later in childhood. Reported as genetic capacity, not measured bile acids.
Tryptophan and indole metabolism
Estimates the genetic capacity to transform tryptophan into indole family signalling molecules linked in research to barrier and immune biology.
Measures neither metabolite concentrations nor immune function.
Microbial vitamin production
Summarises gene capacity for selected B vitamin synthesis, including folate, biotin and cobalamin related pathways.
Gene capacity says nothing about the child's vitamin status and does not replace nutritional assessment.
Colonisation resistance
Integrates SCFA output, fibre fermenting density, bile acid capacity and low pathobiont pressure into a picture of ecological defence.
Not a guarantee against infection.
Dietary ecology
Describes a broad diet pattern using enzyme breadth, fibre versus protein fermentation and the major dietary guilds.
Reflects the pattern visible in the microbiome without reconstructing or judging the child's diet.
Age adjusted screening, fungi and resistance genes
Reports selected bacterial and parasitic DNA, common yeasts and antimicrobial resistance genes with age appropriate interpretation.
Detection only. Neither an infection diagnosis nor a prediction of antibiotic response.
Development and nutrition
Integrates fibre fermentation, SCFA potential, dietary ecology and immune associated microbial tone into a concise developmental summary.
Predicts neither growth nor allergy, nutritional status or disease.
Personalised action plan
Provides non medical, family appropriate actions matched to the main ecological findings while preserving existing strengths.
Suggestions stay realistic for the child's developmental stage.
School age, 6 to 12 years
The school age report evaluates an increasingly adult type ecosystem while keeping paediatric reference ranges. It adds resilience, functional redundancy, the balance between fibre and the mucus layer, protein fermentation, gas ecology and later maturing bile acid functions.
Microbiome maturity
Assesses how closely the community resembles the expected adult transition pattern for school age children.
The presence of later maturing functions is developmental context, not a health verdict.
Diversity and ecosystem balance for age
Evaluates diversity alongside fibre and SCFA capacity, compositional balance and pressure associated organisms.
Compared with healthy peers, not with adults.
Resilience and functional redundancy
Measures how many independent organisms can perform important jobs such as butyrate production and carbohydrate degradation. More overlap means more ecological backup.
Recovery itself can only be measured with repeat samples.
Stage specific key organisms
Profiles organisms that mark adult type fermentation, resistant starch use, mucin balance, bile acid development and gas ecology.
Distinguishes favourable, context dependent, pressure associated, developmental and detection only findings.
Fibre fermentation and resistant starch
Estimates the breadth and strength of dietary fibre breakdown, including access to resistant starch.
Shows whether multiple routes for using plant carbohydrates are present.
SCFA network
Evaluates genetic and taxonomic support for butyrate, propionate, acetate and lactate handling.
Describes potential and cross feeding architecture, not measured SCFA concentrations.
Mucin and fibre balance
Estimates whether microbes rely primarily on dietary fibre or more heavily on the gut's mucus layer.
Controlled mucin turnover is normal. The result does not measure barrier damage.
Protein fermentation
Describes the balance between saccharolytic carbohydrate and proteolytic protein fermentation.
A protein leaning pattern is diet responsive ecology, not disease.
Bile acid metabolism
Assesses bile salt hydrolase capacity and the later maturing 7 alpha dehydroxylation pathway.
Reports genetic capacity and developmental status, not bile acid concentrations.
Tryptophan and indole metabolism
Estimates capacity for tryptophan derived indole signalling associated in research with barrier and immune tone.
Measures neither metabolites nor inflammation or immune function.
Gas ecology: methane and sulphur
Reports methanogen detection and hydrogen sulphide potential as neutral features of fermentation ecology.
Diagnoses neither bloating nor constipation, IBS or any other digestive condition.
Microbial vitamins
Summarises gene capacity for folate, cobalamin, biotin and related B vitamin pathways.
Measures neither vitamin production nor absorption or the child's nutritional status.
Colonisation resistance and pathobiont pressure
Describes how well the community keeps Enterobacteriaceae and other opportunists at low levels through niche occupation, SCFAs and maturing bile acid chemistry.
Surveillance of microbial pressure, not an infection prediction.
Age adjusted screening, fungi and resistance genes
Reports selected bacterial and parasitic DNA, common yeasts and antimicrobial resistance genes with age appropriate limitations.
Detection is non diagnostic. Gut viruses are not reported in the kids analysis.
Development and nutrition
Integrates maturation, fibre fermentation, SCFA support, mucin reliance and gas ecology into a practical summary.
Deliberately without weight or obesity scoring, because microbiome based prediction is not validated for children.
Personalised action plan
Provides age appropriate nutrition and lifestyle suggestions linked to the most actionable ecological pattern.
Supportive and non medical.
Adolescent, 13 to 17 years
The adolescent report uses a near adult functional framework while keeping adolescent and, where supported, sex stratified references. Its central actionable theme is the balance between fibre and protein fermentation, not the prediction of disease risk.
Microbiome maturity
Compares the community with age appropriate adolescent and adult transition patterns.
Describes ecological maturity. Assesses neither pubertal stage nor hormones, metabolism or biological age.
Diversity and ecosystem balance for age
Evaluates diversity together with fibre, SCFA, bile acid and pressure associated features.
The composite is read against peers and is not a diagnosis.
Functional redundancy and resilience
Estimates how many different organisms can cover key functions such as fibre breakdown, SCFA production and bile acid transformation.
Describes ecological backup capacity. Real resilience shows only in repeat measurements.
Stage specific key organisms
Presents the organisms most relevant to mature fermentation, gas handling, bile acid metabolism and diet related ecology.
Findings keep their context labels, so neutral organisms are not presented as universally good or bad.
SCFA network and fibre fermentation
Evaluates the breadth and strength of fibre breakdown, butyrate production and cross feeding between organisms.
Estimates capacity and does not measure metabolite concentrations.
Protein fermentation
Estimates proteolytic fermentation and its relationship to dietary fibre supply.
Interpreted neutrally in the context of higher protein diets and physical activity.
Fibre protein balance
Combines saccharolytic and proteolytic capacity into the report's principal adolescent actionability axis.
A protein leaning result supports adding fibre alongside protein rather than automatically reducing protein.
Bile acid metabolism
Assesses bile salt hydrolase and secondary bile acid gene capacity, which should be near adult range by adolescence.
Reports genetic potential, not measured bile acids and not liver function.
Tryptophan and indole metabolism
Estimates the capacity to produce indole family molecules from tryptophan, a pathway studied in barrier and immune signalling.
Does not measure those molecules and does not assess immune health.
Sulphur and hydrogen sulphide potential
Estimates genetic and organism level capacity for hydrogen sulphide production from sulphur compounds.
A diet linked ecological observation. Measures neither gas concentration nor tissue effects.
Methane production
Reports Methanobrevibacter smithii and methanogenesis capacity as common, neutral adolescent features.
May give context for gas and stool patterns but cannot diagnose constipation, IBS or methanogen overgrowth.
Metabolic ecology
Integrates fibre, protein, SCFA, sulphur and methane features into a descriptive picture of how the community processes an omnivorous diet.
Deliberately provides no weight, obesity, diabetes or metabolic disease score.
Age adjusted screening, fungi and resistance genes
Reports selected bacterial and parasitic DNA, common yeasts and the resistome with adolescent reference context.
Detection does not establish infection. Gut viruses are not reported in the kids analysis.
Development and nutrition
Summarises mature functional capacity, fermentation balance and digestive ecology.
Assesses neither nutrition nor growth, hormones or metabolism directly.
Personalised action plan
Provides realistic, non medical actions, particularly around pairing protein intake with diverse fibre.
Must fit the adolescent's health, activity and professional care.
Included in every age tier
- Full list of identified species, bacteria and fungi.
- Sequencing data as FASTQ files and raw abundances to download.
- Lifelong access to the digital DNA database.
- Free re-analysis when we add new markers or resistance genes, with no new sample.
Your child's result grows with the state of science, from a single sample.
The method
Shotgun sequencing, 16S or culture: what actually differs
For children the choice of method matters even more than for adults. Reading only a marker gene misses the species that matter in early development, and functional questions cannot be added later.
| Culture based | 16S sequencing | Shotgun metagenomics (Bactera) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is read | Only culturable bacteria | A single marker gene | ✓All the DNA in the sample |
| Resolution | A few indicator organisms | Usually genus level | ✓Species level |
| Bifidobacterium species | Limited | Usually genus only | ✓B. longum subsp. infantis distinguishable |
| Fungi and yeasts | Partly | No | ✓In the same run |
| Functional genes | No | No | ✓HMO use, butyrate, bile acids |
| Antimicrobial resistance | Only via antibiogram | No | ✓Resistome from the sample |
| Age references | Not provided | Rarely paediatric | ✓Five dedicated age tiers |
| Your raw data | Not available | Limited | ✓FASTQ and abundances, for life |
Sequencing depth per sample
Bactera shotgun metagenomics10 millionPaired end reads per stool sample. What is read is the DNA of every organism in the sample.
around 1,000 times as muchTypical 16S testapprox. 10,000Reads per sample, limited to a single marker gene, usually resolving only to genus.
The comparison covers sequencing depth per sample only, meaning the number of reads analysed. It refers to the analytical method and not to individual providers. Greater sequencing depth means more DNA analysed, not automatically a medical advantage.
Screening in detail
What else we screen for, and what differs in children
The screening runs from the same sample but is age gated. For every tier it is defined which organisms are reported and which deliberately are not, because a detection at that age could not be meaningfully interpreted.
Clinically relevant bacteria
SelectionSelected bacterial DNA markers, interpreted by age. A detection describes the presence of DNA and does not establish an active infection.
Parasites and protozoa
SelectionSelected parasitic DNA markers as pure detection screening. A negative result rules nothing out.
Yeasts and fungi
DetectionCommon yeasts are reported as detection only. A finding is not overgrowth and not an indication for treatment.
Antimicrobial resistance genes
ResistomeResistance genes are contextualised for age. A gene does not prove expression and predicts no treatment outcome.
C. difficile
Age ruleUnder the age of two, C. difficile and its toxin genes are deliberately not reported, because colonisation at that age is common and regularly carries no disease meaning. From age two the finding appears as detection only.
Gut viruses
not includedThe kids analysis does not report gut viruses. The common childhood gastroenteritis viruses are RNA viruses and sit outside this DNA based method.
With acute symptoms, fever, blood in the stool, persistent diarrhoea or failure to thrive, assessment belongs with the paediatrician first. Screening from a stool sample does not replace pathogen diagnostics.
Deliberately different from adults
What this analysis for children is not
We would rather state the limits up front than have you find them in the small print. Microbiome 360° Gut Analysis Kids is an analysis for information and orientation. It is not a diagnostic test and it does not transfer adult logic onto children.
No disease risk scoresNo risk values modelled on adults. Such models are not validated for children.
No predictionsNeither about allergy nor about growth, weight, metabolism, infection or later illness.
No weight scoreThe school age report deliberately omits weight and obesity scoring.
No diagnosisThe report diagnoses neither IBS nor inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease or any other condition.
Potential is not measurementGene based panels describe capacity. They measure no metabolites, no gene expression and no intestinal permeability.
One sample, one point in timeA single sample describes the current state. A trend needs at least two measurements.
When medical advice comes first
- With persistent diarrhoea, blood in the stool, fever or weight loss.
- With failure to thrive or unusual weight development.
- During acute gastrointestinal infections.
- When an existing diagnosis needs assessment or a therapy needs adjusting.
The analysis complements paediatric care and does not replace it.
The report
What the report looks like
Every value comes with the sentence explaining what it does not mean. The view below is an example for the toddler tier and not a real result.
Microbiome maturity for age
On track
earlyexpectedmature
The community sits within the expected developmental range for 1 to 3 years. The scale describes a developmental path and is not a health score.
Age tier: toddler, 1 to 3 years
Ecological transition: underway
Milk sugar specialists are receding while fibre fermenters and established anaerobes increase. That matches the typical post weaning pattern.
Diversity: age appropriate · Cross feeding: building · Colonisation resistance: stable
Key organisms for this age tier
Bar length is the share of the community, scale 0 to 100 percent
Bifidobacterium spp.
14,2%
Bacteroides spp.
11,5%
F. prausnitzii
4,6%
R. bromii
2,1%
Enterobacteriaceae
1,8%
Developmental and core organismsPressure associated, read in context
Ecological transitionFibre fermenters and anaerobes are increasing as expected.● On track
SCFA networkAcetate and lactate chain present, butyrate capacity still building.● Age appropriate
Fibre breadthEnzyme breadth still narrow, resistant starch barely accessed so far.● Worth discussing
Clinically relevant organismsNone of the screened markers detected. A negative result does not replace targeted testing.● Not detected
Yeasts and fungiCandida albicans detected in small amounts. Detection is not overgrowth.● Detected
Antimicrobial resistance genesGenes for one antibiotic class detected, interpreted by age.● Detected
Functional potential panel
Age appropriate action plan
Every report closes with plain language explanations and an age appropriate action plan for diet and daily life. The results are for information and orientation and do not replace medical assessment. Please discuss the report with your paediatrician.
See a sample reportRead a full report before you orderOur complete demo report is open to everyone, no account and no purchase. Click through every section, see how each result is explained, how the reference comparisons are built and how the limits are stated. Then decide whether that is the depth you want.Open the demo report →Opens my.bactera.de in a new tab
Report views
How it works
The kids gut flora analysis in four steps
1
Choose the tier
Choose the age tier at checkout
You select your child's age tier. That fixes which references and which rules the report is read against.
2
Collect the sample
Collect the sample at home
A small stool sample with the tube from the kit. The illustrated instructions are written for children and infants, including collection from a nappy.
3
Send it back
Return it prepaid
The prepaid return envelope is included. Sequencing and analysis run in Germany, with no appointment and no practice visit.
4
Get the report
Read and discuss the report
After 4 to 6 weeks the report is in your Bactera account, with age appropriate explanations, an action plan and your raw data to download.
Before sampling
- Eat as usual in the days before and do not change the diet specially.
- Do not take a sample during an acute gastrointestinal infection.
- After a course of antibiotics, wait about four weeks if you want to see the normal state.
- For infants, give the feeding stage as well, because the report refers to it.
The test kit
Microbiome 360° Gut Analysis Kids
Product photography
Gut flora analysis for children and adolescents, shotgun metagenomics
229 €One time, including VAT. Free shipping and prepaid return within Germany.
- Test kit with illustrated instructions for children and infants and a prepaid return envelope
- Five age tiers: infant, toddler, preschool, school age, adolescent
- Microbiome maturity relative to the child's own age tier
- Diversity, dominance and ecosystem balance for age
- Tier specific key organisms with context labels
- Age relevant functional potential, gene based
- Host relevant ecology and developmental context
- Evidence selected microbial profile
- Age adjusted screening for clinically relevant organisms
- Yeast and fungi screening
- Antimicrobial resistance gene screening
- Personalised, age appropriate action plan
- Full organism list, FASTQ files and raw abundances
- Lifelong access to the digital DNA database with free re-analysis
Analysis in GermanyGDPR compliantData is not soldEmail support
Market position
Among the leading paediatric gut analyses in Europe
Microbiome tests for children are, almost across the board, adult products with a lower minimum age. We built our own analysis pathways instead, reading each age tier against its own developmental biology. What that means in practice is set out below in numbers rather than superlatives.
5Age tiers with their own references
10 millionReads per stool sample
Sequencing depth at research level instead of the roughly 10,000 reads of a typical 16S test. Only that makes bifidobacteria visible at species level.
0Disease risk scores
Deliberately no risk, allergy or weight predictions for children. Such models are not validated at this age.
01
Age references instead of an adult yardstick
Most tests for children compare against adult references or against a single paediatric group. With us the chosen tier decides the reference values, the metrics and the reporting rules.
02
Species level, not genus level
A 16S test says Bifidobacterium is present. For the infant report what matters is whether it is B. longum subsp. infantis, a complete HMO specialist.
03
Technologically in the leading group
Shotgun metagenomics at species level is the standard international microbiome research works to. In consumer facing analysis it remains one of very few methods in use worldwide.
04
Age gated screening
C. difficile and its toxin genes are not reported under age two, and gut viruses not at all. We would rather report less than report something that cannot be meaningfully interpreted at that age.
05
Sequenced and analysed in Germany
DNA extraction and shotgun sequencing take place in our partner laboratory in Germany, the bioinformatics run in our own pipelines in Cologne. Your child's sample does not leave the country.
06
No supplements afterwards
We do not sell you products based on your child's results. The report is the product, not the entry point to a sales funnel.
This positioning refers to the analytical method used and to publicly available information from providers of consumer paediatric microbiome analyses in Europe, as of 2026. Greater sequencing depth means more DNA analysed, not automatically a medical advantage.
Frequently asked
Frequently asked questions about the kids gut analysis
From what age is the analysis possible?
From birth to 17. The five tiers are infant from 0 to 12 months, toddler from 1 to 3 years, preschool from 4 to 5 years, school age from 6 to 12 years and adolescent from 13 to 17 years. From 18 the adult gut analysis is the right choice.
Why are separate age tiers needed at all?
Because the same result means something entirely different depending on age. Low diversity with strong bifidobacterial dominance is the expected pattern in an infant, while in a school age child it would be striking. Reading a child's sample against adult references therefore leads systematically to misinterpretation.
What if my child is between two tiers?
Choose the tier matching the actual age at the time of sampling. For children close to a tier change the analysis takes the transition range into account. If you are unsure, write to us before ordering.
How do I take a sample from an infant?
With the tube from the test kit, at home. The illustrated instructions also cover collection from a nappy. No appointment and no practice visit are needed.
Does the report say anything about allergies, growth or weight?
No, and that is a deliberate decision. Microbiome based predictions about allergy, growth, weight, metabolism or later illness are not validated for children. We report development, ecology, functional capacity and age adjusted findings instead. Where research describes associations, we label them as associations and not as individual predictions.
Why are gut viruses not reported?
Because the common childhood gastroenteritis viruses, rotavirus and norovirus among them, are RNA viruses. Our method reads DNA, so they sit outside the measurement range. A missing finding would therefore say nothing, and we do not report a statement we cannot make.
Why is C. difficile not reported in young children?
Because colonisation with C. difficile is common in infants and toddlers and regularly carries no disease meaning at that age. A detection would unsettle more than it informs. Under two we therefore do not report it; from two it appears as detection only with the corresponding note.
Does the analysis replace a visit to the paediatrician?
No. The report is for information and orientation. It diagnoses no condition and replaces neither examination nor treatment. It is written so that you can take it into a consultation. With persistent diarrhoea, blood in the stool, fever or failure to thrive, assessment belongs with the paediatrician first.
Is the analysis useful after a course of antibiotics?
It can describe the current state, for example reduced bifidobacteria, changed diversity or an increased resistance gene load. What a single sample cannot do is date an exposure or measure a recovery trajectory. That needs at least two measurements.
What happens to my child's data?
The sample is analysed in Germany and processed pseudonymously. Genetic data is a special category of personal data under Article 9 GDPR. You can download the full organism list, the FASTQ files and the raw abundances at any time, and object to storage at any time. The data is not sold.
What does the lifelong DNA database mean?
The sequencing data stays securely stored. When we add new markers, pathogens or analyses, the existing sample can be analysed again without you sending in a new one. The result grows with the state of science.
Do we get concrete recommendations?
Yes, as an age appropriate action plan with suggestions for diet and daily life that fit the developmental stage. The suggestions are supportive and not medical. Decisions about diet or treatment still belong with paediatric care.
Knowledge Hub
Continue reading
Visual
Method
Shotgun compared with 16S
Why a marker gene shows less than all the DNA in a sample.
Read →Visual
Process
Microbiome testing at home
The process, what it can tell you and where it stops.
Read →Visual
Screening
Pathogen screening in the gut
Which bacteria and parasites are covered and what a detection means.
Read →Visual
Screening
Yeasts and fungi in the gut
Why detection is not the same as overgrowth.
Read →