Gut Health Testing for Mental Health

Is Your Gut Talking to Your Brain? Why We Offer the Tiny Health Gut Test for Kids, Adults & Families

At The Kid's Therapy Center, we believe that mental health is whole-body health. That’s why we don’t just provide therapy, we offer tools to help children and adults function better from the inside out. One of our favorite tools for supporting families is the Tiny Health Gut Test.

If your child struggles with focus, mood swings, anxiety, skin issues, or tummy troubles, this test may help uncover why, and give you clear, personalized steps for what to do next.

Why Gut Health Matters for Mental & Emotional Well-Being

More and more research is showing what many holistic providers have known for years: the gut and brain are directly connected.

Here’s why this matters:

• About 90% of serotonin (your “feel-good” brain chemical) is made in the gut.

• The gut also plays a major role in managing inflammation, which can affect mood, focus, behavior, and immune function.

• Inflammation in the gut can block nutrient absorption. This means that even if your child is eating healthy, their brain might not be getting the nutrients it needs for steady moods, sharp focus, and healthy development.

• The gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and microbes in your digestive system — communicates with your brain constantly.

When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, we often see signs like:

• Anxiety or nervousness

• Trouble focusing or “brain fog”

• Irritability or mood swings

• Constipation, diarrhea, or tummy aches

• Skin rashes or eczema

• Frequent colds, infections, or immune issues

Gut health is brain health. The Tiny Health test helps us connect the dots between the gut and the mind.

Your Microbiome Changes as You Grow

Did you know that your gut microbiome starts developing at birth and continues changing throughout your life?

Here’s the amazing part: every stage of life has a different microbiome “goal." The Tiny Health Gut Test is designed to check what matters most at each of those stages.

Who Is This Test For?

Babies (0–3 years)

• Looks at early microbiome development

• Checks for beneficial bacteria that help train the immune system to lower the risk of allergies, asthma, eczema, and other immune imbalances

• Evaluates how early exposures (like antibiotics or C-section birth) might have affected the gut

• Screens for bacteria associated with eczema and other inflammatory conditions

Children (3–18 years)

• Measures gut diversity to support digestion, mood, focus, and immunity

• Screens for yeast (candida) or harmful bacterial overgrowths

• Helps look at issues relating to anxiety, mood swings, focus, eczema, constipation, and frequent illnesses

• Great for checking gut recovery after antibiotics, stomach bugs, or other disruptions

Adults (18+ years)

• Screens for inflammation and diversity connected to mental health, hormone balance, skin, digestion, and immunity

• Helps uncover hidden contributors to fatigue, brain fog, low mood, or skin issues

• Supports gut recovery after antibiotic use, high stress, or hormonal changes

Pregnant & Postpartum Women

• Evaluates gut balance to support mood, nutrient absorption, and immune health

• Helps reduce inflammation, which may benefit both mom’s mood and baby’s early development

• Screens for bacteria associated with higher risks of eczema, allergies, and other immune imbalances in children

• Supports baby’s microbiome seeding during birth for long-term health benefits

What Does It Test For?

Besides the bacterial balance that supports mental well-being and digestion, the Tiny Health Gut Test also examines:

• Yeast or Candida Overgrowths — which can impact digestion, skin health, and inflammation

• Markers of Gut Inflammation — revealing if your gut lining might be irritated or inflamed, which can block the absorption of key nutrients for mood and focus

• Butyrate-Producing Bacteria — these friendly microbes produce a special short-chain fatty acid (butyrate) that calms inflammation, strengthens the gut lining, and protects brain function

• Bacteria Linked to Skin Conditions like eczema and acne

• Immune-Training Microbes — especially important for babies and toddlers to lower allergy and immune risks

• Balance After Antibiotic Use — helps evaluate how well your child’s (or your) gut has bounced back after antibiotics, C-sections, or illness

What Do the Results Look Like?

One of the things we love about the Tiny Health test is how easy it is to understand the results.

• The online report breaks down your (or your child’s) gut health into simple categories: what’s going well, what’s out of balance, and how that may relate to symptoms.

• Each section is color-coded and explained in plain language, not just medical jargon.

• Tiny Health provides practical, science-backed suggestions for foods or supplements to help rebalance the gut (they don’t sell supplements or push specific brands).

• If you need help interpreting the results, we can schedule an appointment to go over them with you.

• And, of course, we’re here to help you build a full plan if needed.

It’s approachable, practical, and clear; no need for a science degree to understand what’s going on.

How Does the Testing Process Work?

We’ve made it simple by handling everything here at the clinic:

1. Purchase the test through us — $250 per kit. You can pay in person or over the phone.

2. We order the kit for you, and you’ll pick it up at our clinic when it arrives.

3. Collect the sample at home using easy, step-by-step instructions (takes about 5 minutes).

4. Mail the sample back to the lab using the prepaid envelope.

5. Access your results online through Tiny Health’s secure portal (wait is about 3-4 weeks).

6. We will call you to see if you would like to meet to go over any of the results. 

What Happens After Testing?

At our clinic, this test can stand alone or be used as part of a more complete health plan. We can help you:

• Understand how gut health may be affecting focus, mood, digestion, or immune function

• Explore additional testing if needed 

• Partner with you on next steps 

We’re here to help you see the whole picture and take clear, actionable steps toward better health.

Cost and Getting Started

• Cost: $250

• Where to Get It: Pay in person or over the phone, then pick up your kit at our clinic

• Includes: Personalized results, research-backed recommendations, and a FREE 30-minute call with a Tiny Health microbiome specialist

If you’ve been wondering whether gut health could be part of the reason for emotional ups and downs, focus challenges, skin issues, or physical symptoms in your family, this is one of the best first steps you can take to start finding real answers.

Want to learn more or reserve your kit? Call us today or stop by the clinic. We’re here to support your family’s mental and physical health from the inside out.