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Original poster

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:

chjlly · 05/02/2006 21:22

I put ds (4)) on fish oil & nursery noticed a difference in a couple of days saying how much better he had been

getbakainyourjimjams · 06/02/2006 04:40

caroline that is a common reaction in children who tend towards hyperactivity. DS1 was like that on something with a high omega 6 ratio. He was off the planet- I rang his nutritionist who said "stop" and then went on to explain the problem. DS1 ended up on cod liver oil (he needed the vitamin A)- that worked wonders, stopped all his visual sideways flicky stimming that he loves to engage in. Cannot get it into him now though. It might be worth trying an omega 3 only brand, or using th mega 3 eggs and milk (yep rt it is the advance one we use).

kid · 06/02/2006 19:04

I got DS some fish oil tonight, its Hariborange one. He has to take 2 spoonfuls a day. I thought he would taste it and spit it straight back out. Suprisingly, he loved it and asked if he could have some more. He is usually full of energy, I wouldn't say he was hyperactive as he can sit still when he wants to, he just has endless amounts of energy.

I wonder if I will be able to notice any difference with him?

jac34 · 06/02/2006 19:16

My DS's are 7yo and have been on IQ fish oil since they were 5yo, they happily take it on a spoon every morning.There were no chewable ones when I started giving it.

If I forget to give it for a while,I notice a marked difference in their behaviour. They are both very lively boys and prone to strops now and them, but without the oil they are more agressive, rougher with each other and strops are almost every day.They are both doing very well at school, and I never get called in for their behaviour.

Caroline5 · 06/02/2006 21:20

Thanks jimjams, I've been wary of trying anything else out on her due to our previous experience, but may try out the brainy milk! We are having an interesting 'milk' experience at the moment as have just tried out the 'sleepy milk'on her (no effect whatsoever!!)

Caroline5 · 06/02/2006 21:21

BTW, you were up early this morning ! or is that a normal time for you?

getbakainyourjimjams · 07/02/2006 04:51

Normal this week!!! Grrr (ds2 is ill, is coming into us at 3am and waking ds3 agghhhh!) Had 3 hours sleep yesterday, should manage a bit more tonight (am going back to bed now).

ON sunday I woke with a shock as it was 8am. Our boys have never slept in until that time (maybe when we just had ds1 we had some 8am mornings but not since having ds2 and ds3). I made dh go and check them!

Kittypickle · 07/02/2006 07:48

DD is 7 and has dyspraxia. On both times we've managed to get fish oils down her for a reasonable amount of time she has had a real learning spurt after a couple of months. I must admit I was very sceptical when we first tried and it may be that she would have done that anyway but I do think as Lizs says, it's a combination of fish oils and a natural spurt. I'm going to have to have another go at getting some more down her again I think. A completely unscientific observation but I think they really do help if a child has some kind of developmental delay/special need, but I'm not so sure about how effective they are if they don't.

Tiggiwinkle · 07/02/2006 13:01

Jimjams-is the ratio of EPA to DHA OK in the milk? I emailed St Ivel because they dont give a breakdown anywhere in their product info. They replied that the ratio of EPA to DHA is 3:4, which is very different from that in the fish oil brands I think? It would certainly be the ideal way for my DS to get the omega 3 if it is in the correct proportion as he adores milk!
Kittypickle-I agree that the oil definitely seems to help when a child has a SN. My DS has Aspergers, and we have noticed a difference in several areas. His handwriting was appalling and improved dramatically after a couple of months on the oils. His level of anxiety and behaviour also seemed much better. He has just had a couple of weeks without it and everything seemed to go downhill again-even the school commented that he was unsettled, and they neither knew he was on fish oils, or that he had stopped them.

getbakainyourjimjams · 07/02/2006 14:57

Both of those are omega 3's (which are good). Omega 6's are things like GLA. We have lots of those in the diet anyway- it's the omega 3's that need to be upped (especially for children with SN).

kid · 07/02/2006 18:43

After one dose of fish oil, DS got himself dressed this morning with me having to only tell him once! I am really impressed. I know its the fish oil that made him get dressed as I wouldn't let him have it until he was dressed (he loves the taste of it?!)

singersgirl · 07/02/2006 20:56

Yes, having said I've seen no difference in DS2, he has got himself correctly dressed for school before I've got out of bed for the last 3 days, and is skipping alternate feet all the way to school.

dejags · 26/02/2006 19:38

Fish oils are not high on the list of most South African's priorities, but I finally managed to track down some imported Eye Q. DS1 (4yrs9) is taking them - question is - is:

Can I give fish oils to my 18 month old? He is a large chap (weighs 31lbs) and recently has started becoming more and more fussy with his food. Was wondering if I could get him to take a spoonful everyday - pharmacist says he doesn't think it'll harm?

I read on here they are for 3 and above?

Sarahx2005 · 26/02/2006 21:27

I've been giving them to my kids for a few years. It's helped my son concentrate so much better and his behaviour has improved too!

Sarahx2005 · 26/02/2006 21:28

They take at least 5 months to start working effectively apparently.

jambuttie · 14/03/2006 10:44

was directed to this post from another thread and could really do with your help.

DT2 is a right handful, he cant sit still for more than a few seconds, is constantly charging around causing distruction and getting into bother.

To help his behaviour a friend reccommended I try fish oils.

Ladies I am at the end of my tether and have finally admitted I can no longer cope with my son. What would you say is the easiest and best to give to him. He is 2 yrs old and wild beyond your imagination. I am not sure how much these things cost but we have a local moss chemist near us and will be getting them there on your recommendation

Please help

figroll · 14/03/2006 11:15

I used to have Delrosa and Halibut oil capsules too - JoolsToo. I used to chew up the halibut oil and really enjoy them (yuk) we used to have Virol as well, which was absolutely delicious. I think I must have had an underprivileged childhood.

jambuttie · 14/03/2006 11:25

do they all taste awful or are they pleasant enough for the kids?

Uwila · 14/03/2006 11:32

We have the haliborange ones and DD loves them. I think they are black currant flavoured.

blueshoes · 14/03/2006 11:40

Hi cathy, don't want to rain on your parade, but dd who has always been slow with speech is also 2.5 years. Her speech exploded in the last few weeks and she started counting to 10 as well! I did not give any supplements. Well done to your ds.

Furball · 14/03/2006 11:47

My ds (4.5) takes a spoonful of eye-q off the spoon every morning (yuck!) Some on here put it in things like yogurts. Eye-Q also do flavoured ones like vanilla or lemon. It is quite expensive at £9.99 for 200ml but it lasts a while. Boots currently have 3 for 2 on all vitamin and supplements at the moment.

cutekids · 14/03/2006 11:49

haven't read the whole thread but i've been giving my kids "clever medicine"for almost 2 years now. it was my mum who suggested it when my then 5 year old didn't seem to be doing so well at school....my God!...what an improvement within 2 months if not less! we couldn't believe how she suddenly started catching up to her classmates.neither could her teacher! (she still struggles a little, but i'm sure the fish oils help her).I've been giving my two younger children fish oils aswell and they seem to have "glowing"reports from their teachers each time.(touch wood!)we use Boots Omega 3s (strawberry flavour) and "clever medicine"is just another part of their daily routine now.wonderful stuff!!!

jambuttie · 14/03/2006 12:06

am going to have a look in the chemist on the way to drop ds1 at nursery

jambuttie · 14/03/2006 13:48

Got haliborange and have just given both twins there 1st dose

fingers crossed it works with him, and it only cost £4.39

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