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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

For anyone considering giving their child fish oil....

49 replies

cathyspam · 05/02/2006 09:22

I started giving my 2.5 year old son a supplement about 2 weeks ago and his vocabulary has gone from about 40 words to (must be) 400! He has started ditinguishing colours and can now count to 10 without help! I wouldnt have believed it but surely it is not coincidence? Just a very positive story if you are thinking about it.

OP posts:

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Twiglett · 05/02/2006 09:24

which one have you been giving .. I've been giving DS the haliborange chewable ones which he loves and haven't really seen any great difference (but then he's nearly 5)

Kelly1978 · 05/02/2006 09:25

Since starting my son (3.5) on it, he actually tried to sing for the first time. No idea if it coincidence or not, but it made me a very happy mummy.

kid · 05/02/2006 09:25

I've been giving DD fish oil for the past couple of months. I've not noticed and big changes tbh, although she does seem to pay attention to the teacher a bit better but is still a bit slow to start her work which is what I was hoping would improve.

What type are you giving your DS? I haven't got any for my DS yet, he is 3.10 but the one DD has is for 6 and over. Plus I doubt I could force him to take the medicine version.

Kelly1978 · 05/02/2006 09:25

we're on those, twiglett.

cathyspam · 05/02/2006 09:30

been giving him the boots smart oil liquid one for 6 months+ because a lot of the others are for over 3's.

OP posts:

Enid · 05/02/2006 09:53

ah the magic pills

cupcakes · 05/02/2006 10:08

Have been giving ds (5) the haliborange chewable ones and in this time he's gone up from the middle group for reading to the top group . But now I'm scared to stop. How do I know if it's good teaching or the supplements? Dh thinks they're a necessary top up as ds won't eat fish (dd does and therefore doesn't have the supplements).
Ds has just informed me though that he doesn't actually chew them - he justs swallows them whole. I presume his stomach acid is breaking them down and they're not just going straight through him??

cathyspam · 05/02/2006 10:10

enid, i was cynical too but dh wanted to try and the difference is just sooo extreme that i cant argue!

OP posts:

Enid · 05/02/2006 10:13

sorry cathy but it is a coincidence

there is no doubt, I grudgingly agree, that fish oil supplements are good for brain development but there is no way they would have that significant an effect on your ds. He is just naturally clever

Kelly1978 · 05/02/2006 10:13

I've very cynical too, but with ds anything is worth a try. He is developmentally delayed.

JoolsToo · 05/02/2006 10:15

pah! I was on daily Delrosa and a Halibut oil tablet since the dawn of time - didn't stop me being crap at maths!

mszebra · 05/02/2006 10:16

There was a phone-in on Radio5 the other day, some of the endorsements wound me up (sort of slaveringly rabid). The brand More-EPA did get suggested as safe & effective by somebody doing clinical trials (Prof. at some university). She said they had also tried & liked & got results from Eye-Q & Efalex...

Have to say, DS1's behavior noticeably improved when we first gave him fish oils (he wasn't SN, either, just the usual annoying 4yo), but it didn't get worse when we took him off them, either.

cathyspam · 05/02/2006 10:21

enid - i am sure he was due a developmental growth spurt anyway but think that maybe the fish oil has just helped increase his concentration enough to learn even more in a very short space of time. I am sure he is just clever though !

OP posts:

LIZS · 05/02/2006 10:25

Suspect it is a combination of a natural development phase and perhaps the fish oils , although it is generally accepted that the effects take longer to manifest themselves, hence the studies over 3 months periods. It will be interesting if he sustains this pace of learning and development. Just enjoy your son's new found "skills" !

We've given them to ds for almost 2 years now and they , combined with OT sessions , helped him in terms of motor skills and concentration. owver he has also made significant progress without the OT with one-to -one sessions at school so suspsect that has palyed a bigger role. There is certainly a marked attention issue if he misses a dose. btw he hates the new chewable fruit flavoured Efalex if anyone was thinking of trying them.

getbakainyourjimjams · 05/02/2006 10:25

The original trials were carried out on Efalex- although after the trials the company was bought out and the formulation changed a bit.

Eye Q is very high in omega 6's and some children react very badly to that (especially those who tend towards hyperactivity).

If you buy fish oils then make sure you get ones which have been purified for mercury. Eye Q, Efalex, Eskimo oil and Nordic Naturals are all fine (nordic naturals imo are the best). Twiglett I don't think haliborange are than great (imo).

DS1 responds very well to them. Just won't take them and can sniff them out anywhere. They help skin as well, his skin has gone all dry again since he stopped them.

kreamkrackers · 05/02/2006 12:04

my dd is 20 months old and is very behind in her development. she has a very complex cardiac condition and i was wondering whether fils oils would be suitable for her. does anybody know?

Tiggiwinkle · 05/02/2006 12:22

Have you tried the Eye Q Smooth formulation Jimjams? My DS was happliy taking the Eye Q Liquid for months thsn suddenly refused and like your DS could taste it in anything if I tried to hide it! Have now got the Smooth and he loves it-only drawback is the price! However, I am prepared to pay as the effects of his taking the oils have been very noticecable.

Piffle · 05/02/2006 12:23

my dd (speech delay) 3yrs also started talking very soon after, I am not usre if it was coicidence or not!
We used eye q....

Beetroot · 05/02/2006 12:24

no differnce to mine.

singersgirl · 05/02/2006 17:47

Ds2 has been taking fish oils for about 3 weeks now (can't get them inside DS1 by any means, and anyway he is intolerant to something in all of them). Can't say I've noticed any difference.

RTKangaMummy · 05/02/2006 17:53

We have tried Eye Q oil but DS hated the flavour

Are there any that don't taste horrible BUT that work?

singersgirl · 05/02/2006 20:25

DS2 manages to swallow the capsules, but hates the Eye Q oil (he's 4.5 and swallows 2 at the same time)

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getbakainyourjimjams · 05/02/2006 20:31

I wouldn't give ds1 eye-Q tiggiwinkle. I gave him something similar (high in omega 6's) before and the effect was dreadful. He wouldn't take it anyway, it's new and strange looking.

I do make his bread with the brainy milk now (not sure if the heat destroys the omega 3's) and his pancakes, and he will eat cornflakes and milk now so I use it there as well.

RTKangaMummy · 05/02/2006 21:05

Is brainy milk --- St Ivel's Advance?

Caroline5 · 05/02/2006 21:16

Gave dd1 Efalex for a short while and, after a few days of definite improvement, she went completely off the planet (she tends to hyperactivity anyway) - could not concentrate at all and would not keep still for one second. It took quite a few weeks to wear off! Have tried the Eskimo oil with dd2 but it is very hard to get into her with no obvious changes.

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