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What Is the Gut-Brain Axis And How Does Anxiety Play a Role?
Ever wonder why your child’s “mystery” stomach aches keep coming back even when every test comes back normal?Dr. Ali Navidi is a GI psychologist who specializes in the gut-brain connection in kids. He’s on a mission to change how we understand and treat chronic belly pain, nausea, IBS, and other gut issues that don’t always have an obvious medical cause.
In this episode, we break down what every parent should know about the gut-brain axis. How the “little brain” in the gut talks to the “big brain” in the head and how stress, anxiety, and past experiences can turn real stomach sensations into ongoing pain cycles.
We cover:
Gut-brain connection in kids and why stomach pain is real, even with normal test results
How parenting responses and visceral hypersensitivity affect chronic belly pain
Why this often goes undiagnosed and how anxiety plays a role
Proven treatments for gut-brain disorders, from targeted CBT to clinical hypnosis
To connect with Dr. Ali Navidi follow him on Instagram @gipsychusa, check out all his resources at Gipsychology.com and schedule a free consultation here: www.GIPsychology.com/free-consultation/
We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you!
00:00 - Welcome to the PedsDocTalk podcast
02:16 - Meet Dr. Ali Navidi, GI psychologist
03:35 - Why GI psychology was created
05:45 - How gut-brain issues show up in kids
06:21 - Explaining the gut-brain axis for parents
08:15 - What is functional abdominal pain?
10:14 - Why kids’ pain is real, not “all in their head”
13:00 - Why kids feel anxiety in their stomachs
14:00 - PTSD of the gut explained
16:11 - Stress, IBS, and real-life examples
18:13 - Visceral hypersensitivity: why pain feels worse
19:43 - How parents’ reactions shape pain cycles
22:39 - Teaching kids coping skills early
27:26 - IBS, vomiting, and gut-brain examples
30:12 - How to respond when your child has pain
33:18 - Treatments that actually help (CBT & hypnosis)
36:34 - Final advice for parents: kids don’t need to “just live with it”
38:38 - Where to find help with GI psychology
40:00 - Closing thoughts and takeaways
Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and subscribe to PedsDocTalk.
Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. Join the newsletter!
And don’t forget to follow @pedsdoctalkpodcast on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships page of the website.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
View all episodes
By Dr. Mona Amin
4.9
14751,475 ratings
Ever wonder why your child’s “mystery” stomach aches keep coming back even when every test comes back normal?Dr. Ali Navidi is a GI psychologist who specializes in the gut-brain connection in kids. He’s on a mission to change how we understand and treat chronic belly pain, nausea, IBS, and other gut issues that don’t always have an obvious medical cause.
In this episode, we break down what every parent should know about the gut-brain axis. How the “little brain” in the gut talks to the “big brain” in the head and how stress, anxiety, and past experiences can turn real stomach sensations into ongoing pain cycles.
We cover:
Gut-brain connection in kids and why stomach pain is real, even with normal test results
How parenting responses and visceral hypersensitivity affect chronic belly pain
Why this often goes undiagnosed and how anxiety plays a role
Proven treatments for gut-brain disorders, from targeted CBT to clinical hypnosis
To connect with Dr. Ali Navidi follow him on Instagram @gipsychusa, check out all his resources at Gipsychology.com and schedule a free consultation here: www.GIPsychology.com/free-consultation/
We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you!
00:00 - Welcome to the PedsDocTalk podcast
02:16 - Meet Dr. Ali Navidi, GI psychologist
03:35 - Why GI psychology was created
05:45 - How gut-brain issues show up in kids
06:21 - Explaining the gut-brain axis for parents
08:15 - What is functional abdominal pain?
10:14 - Why kids’ pain is real, not “all in their head”
13:00 - Why kids feel anxiety in their stomachs
14:00 - PTSD of the gut explained
16:11 - Stress, IBS, and real-life examples
18:13 - Visceral hypersensitivity: why pain feels worse
19:43 - How parents’ reactions shape pain cycles
22:39 - Teaching kids coping skills early
27:26 - IBS, vomiting, and gut-brain examples
30:12 - How to respond when your child has pain
33:18 - Treatments that actually help (CBT & hypnosis)
36:34 - Final advice for parents: kids don’t need to “just live with it”
38:38 - Where to find help with GI psychology
40:00 - Closing thoughts and takeaways
Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and subscribe to PedsDocTalk.
Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. Join the newsletter!
And don’t forget to follow @pedsdoctalkpodcast on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships page of the website.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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