The Missing Piece in Your Child’s Healing Journey
We know eczema is linked to gut health, but how do you test gut health for eczema, especially in kids? If you’ve cleaned up your child’s diet, swapped your soap, ditched dairy, gluten, sugar—but your child’s eczema still won’t budge, this post is for you.
Today, we’re diving into the gut. Not metaphorically. Literally. What’s really going on inside your child’s gut when eczema refuses to leave?
This blog is based on a powerful conversation I had with Lindsay Parsons, host of the Perfect Stool Podcast. She’s a gut expert, a certified health coach, and a practitioner who helps people overcome everything from Candida to SIBO to autoimmunity—and yes, eczema is right in that autoimmune mix.
Let’s explore how a gut health test for eczema might just be the tool that helps you break through that final wall in your child’s healing.
Listen Below For The Entire Episode on The Eczema Kids Podcast
When Gut Health Basics Aren’t Enough
I always tell parents inside the Eczema Elimination Method: we start with the foundations—food, environment, and skincare—and then we go much deeper. We rebuild the gut, restore immune balance, and teach the body how to heal. For most families, this is enough. The eczema fades, the sleep returns, and the cycle finally breaks.
But for some children—including my own—it’s not quite that simple.
If your child is over one, and you’ve been consistently applying the method for a couple of months, you’ve likely seen big shifts. But if their skin still isn’t 100% clear, it’s not because you missed a step. It’s because there’s something deeper going on that food and detox alone can’t resolve.
At that point, we stop guessing—and start identifying.
Hidden infections. Candida. Gut dysfunction. Nutrient deficiencies. Immune stressors. These are the roadblocks that hold healing hostage. And that’s when functional testing becomes not just helpful, but necessary.
“If toxins can’t exit through normal detox pathways—liver, kidneys, bowel—they’ll come out through the skin.” -Lindsey Parsons, Gut Health Expert
What You’re Seeing on the Skin Is Coming from the Gut
As Lindsay so wisely puts it:
“If toxins can’t exit through normal detox pathways—liver, kidneys, bowel—they’ll come out through the skin.”
The skin isn’t the problem.
It’s the messenger.
Here’s what may be lurking beneath the surface:
- Candida overgrowth
- Bacterial pathogens like H. pylori or Klebsiella
- Leaky gut and tight junction damage
- Nutrient absorption issues
- Low secretory IgA (poor gut immunity)
- Under-functioning detox and methylation pathways
And here’s the kicker:
You won’t see any of that by switching to coconut yogurt and air purifiers alone.
You need to test.
Early Gut Red Flags Before Eczema Shows Up
Most parents don’t connect gut health and eczema until the skin is screaming. But there are subtle signs that things are off before the rash hits:
- Recurrent constipation or loose stools
- Food sensitivities that seem to shift
- White coating on the tongue (a sign of Candida or dysbiosis)
- Gas, bloating, or undigested food in stool
- Fussiness, clinginess, or meltdowns after meals
And sometimes the root is invisible—like a c-section birth, early antibiotics, or a disrupted maternal microbiome passed on during delivery.
If the gut microbiome was compromised from the start, no amount of creams will fix what’s really an internal imbalance.
So What Is the Right Gut Health Test for Eczema?
You’ve probably seen ads for Biome, Tiny Health, or similar at-home kits.
Here’s the truth:
Direct-to-Consumer Tests (e.g., Tiny Health, Viome)
Tiny Health Pro (ordered through a practitioner) gives insight into enzyme levels, immune markers, and microbial makeup.
Regular at-home kits (without practitioner review) are often incomplete and push you toward unnecessary supplements.
They’re better than nothing—but don’t show candida, inflammation, or digestion markers that matter for eczema.
Practitioner-Level Testing
Here’s what I offer inside the Eczema Elimination Method (at cost for students):
GI-MAP
- Detects parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungal overgrowth
- Shows calprotectin (gut inflammation)
- Highlights digestive function and secretory IgA (gut immunity)
Organic Acids Test (OAT)
- Reveals candida, yeast, and bacterial overgrowth missed on stool
- Shows detox pathway congestion
- Assesses neurotransmitters and mitochondrial function (mood/energy)
Micronutrient Testing
- Checks for zinc, magnesium, B12, and vitamin D deficiencies critical for healing
- Identifies deeper issues like oxidative stress or poor absorption
IgG Food Sensitivity Panels
- Uncovers delayed reactions that don’t show up right away (think 48–72 hrs later)
Heavy Metals & Mold Mycotoxins
- Especially useful if your child has regression, rashes after water damage, or neurobehavioral symptoms
And if testing feels overwhelming, I review your results with you and break it all down into child-sized doses, real-life recommendations, and action steps that make sense.
No more guessing. Just healing.
What a Gut-Imbalanced Child Might Look Like
Beyond eczema, here’s how these imbalances show up:
- Craving carbs and sugar (Candida loves it)
- Constant mood swings and anxiety
- Regression in milestones
- Chronic congestion or ear infections
- Behavioral outbursts after certain foods
And yes—eczema flares that don’t resolve even after diet changes.
These are your signals. And they’re valid. And they’re worth investigating.
Can You Heal Eczema Without a Gut Health Test?
Yes.
But only if your child responds completely to diet and environment changes.
If you’ve already:
- Removed dairy, gluten, and sugar
- Swapped to non-toxic skincare and laundry
- Addressed histamines and food combining
- Supported detox pathways
And eczema is still hanging on?
You’ve done your part. Now it’s time to let testing do its job.
Why I Wait Before Recommending Testing
Here’s the truth I tell all my students:
Test only after giving your child’s gut a few months of healing support.
Why?
Because otherwise, your test results just look like a Christmas tree—everything’s lit up, and nothing is actionable.
That’s why inside the Eczema Elimination Method, I give you:
- Step-by-step healing protocols for food, skin, and home
- Seasonal meal plans
- Anti-inflammatory skin care (that actually works)
- And then—if needed—we layer in testing and supplements
When testing comes in after foundational healing, you get clarity instead of chaos.
What Happens After Testing?
We don’t just hand you scary charts. We:
- Review results together
- Identify root causes (not symptoms)
- Map out a personalized plan
- Select only the supplements your child actually needs
Think:
- Biocidin for candida (tastes good!)
- Immunoglobulin powders mixed into food
- Spore-based probiotics (kid-safe and targeted)
- Butyrate support for sealing the gut
- Gentle binders if needed
You’ll never have to wonder, “Is this the right thing?” again.
You’re Not Alone and This Is Fixable
Eczema is never just a skin issue.
It’s a cry from within.
It’s a signal that something deeper needs support—and you’re already doing the hardest part by showing up and looking for answers.
If diet and lifestyle changes have gotten you partway there but not to full relief, then a gut health test for eczema might be the breakthrough you’ve been missing.
Inside the Eczema Elimination Method, I make this process doable, affordable, and tailored to your family.
Or head straight to the Eczema Shop and take the next step toward clear skin, healthy guts, and food freedom.
If you want to explore more on this topic, check out my blog posts on:
Your child deserves relief. You deserve clarity. Let’s get there together.
FAQ
Do I really need a gut health test if my child already eats clean?
Not always—but if eczema persists despite a clean diet and non-toxic home, testing can reveal hidden issues like Candida, leaky gut, or bacterial overgrowth that food changes alone can’t fix. It’s the difference between trying to patch symptoms and finally getting to the root.
What age is appropriate to run these tests?
Most tests, like the GI-MAP or Organic Acids Test, are appropriate for children over 12 months. For infants, we typically start with gentle food and environment changes first—but if you’re still seeing moderate eczema (it won’t be severe anymore) after 2–3 months, testing may be the most efficient next step.
