Fish oils - following on from Nutty's thread

[TeddyRobinson]

First of all - what do they actually do? what changes have you seen in your children if you use them?

Secondly - which do you buy and how do you administer them (just on a spoon like medicine, put in cereal?)

Thinking about this for ds2 who is a little uncontrollable - lots of tantrums, throwing, hitting atm.

bump

To add to below, what age can they take them from?

We buy the boots smart omega 3, strawberry flavoured. Straight off the spoon after breakfast.
DD9 and DS7 took them (I say took.. routine messed up over xmas)..
DD9's teacher said she really started to concentrate and listen more.. DS was more calmer too.

lots of benefits claimed see here for example

orhere

Have used them on ds for about 18 months (he's now almost 8). He has coordination problems which were spotted by his teacher at almost 6 and there was a definite improvement in that and his ability to concentrate when we started them and he was having weekly OT at the time. We do notice that if he misses his dose (he takes capsules) that his behaiour next day can be more impulsive, uncooperative and less focussed even though he is normally quite placid so think that he has benefitted in that way too.

We currently use Efalex, which is available in both capsules and liquid, having previously used EyeQ but heard that the Evening Primrose in it can cause aggression so changed, although not sure it has made much difference. You can get flavoured liquids like Haliborange but the oils separate quickly in other drinks so it is hard to disguise.

It seems as thought there is no reason not to give them.

Ds2 is very clumsy, falls over a lot and is very hot-headed - he seems very unfocused and frustrated sometimes. Perhaps this will help. I know it won't change his personality and that's not what I want - he is lovely but could do with calming down!

DS started on this about 6 weeks ago. Changed over night. Calmer, more patience, much greater concentration span, speech clearer, behaves better, will sit and read a book with me, holds hands when out without legging it. Fantastic. Wish we'd done it sooner.

Rummum, did they mind the taste at all? I've tried orange ones on ds and he hated them, still fishy, so I'd like to give the strawberry flavoured one a go if it disguised the fish!

No I had no complaints.. DD even said it tastes nice now and she is soooooo fussy.

Thanks rummum, I will give it a try - ds loves fish to eat so I thought fish oils would be easy!

I have 1 opened bottle of strawberry fish oil plus 2 unopened if anyone would like them for the cost of postage, my kids are 10 and 13 and cannot be persuaded to take it. i reckon if you start young enough you've got more of a chance.

i use the eskimo oil one on my dd who is 27 months. She won't take it on a spoon but i found if i put it in with custard she eats it. It has a tutti frutti taste to it. I have found her much better in a short space of time. Her speech has come on leaps and bounds and her behaviour is much ebtter - less tantrums and very little hitting. A word about the haliborange ones (i don'tknow about boots) but i read that they contain aspartme(sp?) so you might not want to use those.

Thanks for all these replies! Pfer - you've sold it to me!

Hi Lizs

If evening primrose oil caused agression I'm sure women wouldn't take it for PMS and menopause...surely that would lead to all kinds of problems

I noticed you switched from Eye Q to Efalex because of this but Efalex also has evening primrose oil in it.

Does it ? oops. Had to do it to order with dh buying (wasn't in uk at the time) so have missed that but would have read about it on MN ! Not made much difference anyway.

Message withdrawn

Orinoco - snap, though ds has the orange ones.

You can give them in a sort of cream form, in a sachet they suck. The Smartfish ones taste best I think, but ds takes IQ vanilla ones - sometimes encouraged by the promise of a spoonful of dry Nesquik powder afterwards!
I honestly think they help ds an awful lot.

By which I mean calmer, smoother moods, more focus, more sociable, better eye contact, improved coordination.