A new Italian study says friendly bacteria could help kids suffering from acute stomach aches.

The team led by Dr. Ruggiero Francavilla of the University of Bari, studied 141 kids between ages 5 and 14 suffering from severe stomach illnesses, mostly due to irritable bowel syndrome.

They were randomly given Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG, or a placebo that looked and tasted similar, for eight weeks. They noted that the Lactobacillus reduced the intensity of stomach aches.

During the course of the study, they found that benefits of probiotics could still wane and repeated use was necessary. The drug is sold only and costs less than a dollar per dosage.

“Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG is one of the best-studied probiotic bacteria in clinical trials for treating and preventing several intestinal disorders and is widely available in different countries,” said Francavilla.

“Probiotics are not all the same and should not be used deliberately for all the possible indications; we are entering the era of targeted probiotic use,” he added.