function _get_term_children( $term_id, $terms, $taxonomy, &$ancestors = array() ) {
	$empty_array = array();
	if ( empty( $terms ) ) {
		return $empty_array;
	}

	$term_id      = (int) $term_id;
	$term_list    = array();
	$has_children = _get_term_hierarchy( $taxonomy );

	if ( $term_id && ! isset( $has_children[ $term_id ] ) ) {
		return $empty_array;
	}

	// Include the term itself in the ancestors array, so we can properly detect when a loop has occurred.
	if ( empty( $ancestors ) ) {
		$ancestors[ $term_id ] = 1;
	}

	foreach ( (array) $terms as $term ) {
		$use_id = false;
		if ( ! is_object( $term ) ) {
			$term = get_term( $term, $taxonomy );
			if ( is_wp_error( $term ) ) {
				return $term;
			}
			$use_id = true;
		}

		// Don't recurse if we've already identified the term as a child - this indicates a loop.
		if ( isset( $ancestors[ $term->term_id ] ) ) {
			continue;
		}

		if ( (int) $term->parent === $term_id ) {
			if ( $use_id ) {
				$term_list[] = $term->term_id;
			} else {
				$term_list[] = $term;
			}

			if ( ! isset( $has_children[ $term->term_id ] ) ) {
				continue;
			}

			$ancestors[ $term->term_id ] = 1;

			$children = _get_term_children( $term->term_id, $terms, $taxonomy, $ancestors );
			if ( $children ) {
				$term_list = array_merge( $term_list, $children );
			}
		}
	}

	return $term_list;
}