Fish Oils

[eidsvold]

Just curious - dh and I are thinking of starting to use them with dd - we are primarily concerned with boosting her immune system know that she is in nursery and help her system to recover quicker from colds etc as well as any other benefits.

Does anyone use them and what do you think?

[tigermoth]

I just don't know what to make of fish oils. My oldest son (9) took an eyeQ tablet twice a day for about 6 months in the spring and early summer. This was mostly to improve his level of concentration at school. Wierdly at the same time his behavoiur and concentration did improve markedly, but I honestly can't say the fish oil was the cause. At about that time he had a grommit too so his hearing improved and his teacher and I had loosly united in a reward/punishment scheme via his behaviour book. So who knows?

I stopped giving him fish oils over the summer holidays, just to see if they had made a difference. To be honest, I don't think his behaviour changed and I haven't started another course yet. He really likes the idea of them though, and whenever he is faced with a challenging bit of homework, asks for a fish oil tablet first. He is more convinced than I that they have done some good.

Just to digress for a minute - his new teacher happens to be the school's SEN teacher and when I saw her at parents evening last week, she said my son had settled into year 5 very well and there were was absolutely no problem with his behaviour - and he is working well in class too. PHEW! this is the first time any teacher has ever said this to me. Long may this continue.

[tigermoth]

just wondering, thinking of that article about the schoolchildren, do you think some children find the idea of taking a 'magic' tablet to improve concentration etc a very powerful idea in itself? ie the tablet could contain anything, it's the taking of it that makes a difference.

[Davros]

Skara, don't know about AS and pencil control but I know my AS sister has terrible writing, can't spell and is rather clumsy whereas me and my other sister are none of the above Maybe a link with dyspraxia? Jimjams may know.

[tamum]

It's a good point, tigermoth, but they were evidently very careful to control for the placebo effect in that trial. They made sure that the dummy pills were indistinguishable from the real ones, so I don't think it's just the "magic pill" effect in this study. I know what you mean though, my ds is very keen on vitamin pills when he's tired, and is clearly under the impression that they'll immediately make him feel better!

robinw

[tigermoth]

OH, they had dummy tablets, too? well that theory bits the dust, then.

[Skara]

thanks davros, have been off searching to see what I can find on the pencil control thing amongst others. Will report back on the results of the fish oils too when I get around to buying them!

[robinw]

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[kmg1]

Tigermoth - just wanted to say I was delighted to hear the teacher's comment about your ds. Hope he has a fantastic year with her.

[Jimjams]

Dashing off out the dor for our OT appointment now (!!! keels over and passes out on floor) but just to say quickly- Skara- kids with AS are often quite dyspraxic as well- so that would go with poor pencil control. Features of AS and dyspraxia overlap a lot in general. I'd look up both. If you are wondering whether your child has AS you may find that dyspraxia is more of a "fit" iyswim.

[janh]

tigermoth, I was glad too to hear your DS's new teacher's comment, and kmg's "hope he has a fantastic year with her" hits the nail on the head IMHO.

DS2 had those 2 miserable cows (sorry) in Y3 and Y4 who both complained about him at every parent's evening ("he fidgets" "he plays with his pens" ) and then went into Y5 with a wonderful cheerful teacher, who obviously really likes kids and doesn't expect them to sit like little silent robots all day, and he did have a fantastic year with her. He was still the same boy, it was the teacher's expectations that were different, and being nagged and criticised all the time is bound to bring out the worst in a child.

So hooray for your DS and his new teacher!

(Incidentally I hardly dare write it but DS1 is actually making a huge effort so far this year - TOUCH WOOD TOUCH WOOD!!!! It has been commented on by most of his teachers and his Head of Year has kindly passed the comments on.)

[Davros]

Can eye q T benefit 'The Human Mind'?

Find out tomorrow night on BBC1


Get a glimpse of some of the outcomes of the Durham Trial on Wed. Oct 1 at
9 pm on BBC1 in the first of a new series: 'The Human Mind.', hosted by Lord
Winston.

Within the programme is the story of Elliot Brown, 9, who was regarded as
a low-achiever at his school in Durham: eloquent at talking, but unable to get
his thoughts down on paper or read very well. Now, Elliot is enthusiastic about
his homework, has a passion for classical music, and has made an all-round
improvement in his grades at school. His advances are used to illustrate how
fish oil can enhance brain power. And need we remind that the supplement used
in the trial -- conducted by the Durham Local Educational Authority, Oxford
Univerisity and the Dyslexia Research Trust -- was our very own eye q T.

If you cannot wait until tomorrow night, Elliot's story is covered in a
preview article printed in last weekend's Sunday Times. Some broad trends of
the trial are explained by one of the lead investigators, Dr Madeleine
Portwood, senior educational psychologist at the Durham LEA. It all sounds very
positive, but more detailed results have yet to be revealed.

Also, if you want more information about the trial, the Durham LEA have
just launched their own dedicated website: www.durhamtrial.org

[tigermoth]

thanks for those messages janh and kmg. Janh I hope your ds1 has a good year too. We are touching wood as well. I do think the teacher's attitude colours things so much. This time last year I was told by the head that my son was more badly behaved that 95% of the chidren in the school and this was unacceptable, so when his teacher in year 4 was off sick a lot in the autumn and winter of last year and I did begin to get a bit paranoid - was the stress of teaching my son and the other 'challenging' children in her class giving her health problems? Anyway, spring and summer were much more peaceful.

Davros, that programme sounds very interesting. From this position of ignorance, I can't believe fish oils could effect such a sudden character transformation in 9 year old, and I wonder what else was happening in his life at the time? I hope the programme explains things - I am sure fish oils must help some children and I would definitely get my son taking them again if his concentration or behaviour becomes an issue. I wonder how long the effects last? perhaps my son is still getting a boost from the fish oils despite stopping taking them 2 months ago.

[Davros]

tigermoth, completely agree as I am a big sceptic about this sort of stuff. I think people often attribute improvements/development to the thing that interests or excites them the most at the time and forget about all the other stuff going on. Having said that, it seems that fish oils are fairly well proven to be beneficial and I say that having given them some years ago and stopped. I'm considering trying again following this thread and the info provided.

[miggy]

Thanks RobinW re capsules. I have a cupboard full of various fish oil preparations, none of which my children will take. In fact boots strawberry flavour one is so disgusting we use it as a deterent when DS2 has a "doesnt want to do something" stomach ache (works well for that!). On the eyeq site, it says they are tiny capsules and 2 are equal to one large capsule. They are available on the boots website as buy 2 get one free.

[robinw]

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[jmb1964]

I have disocvered that our local supplier of fish oils does mail order - have a look at it here The prices are I think pretty reasonable.
Am I allowed to confess that it was an article in (shhh) Junior over a year ago about the Durham study that first got me onto the fish oil thing, before ds1 was diagnosed with anything. I knew about the links between dyspraxia/ADHD/dyslexia, and just wondered whether it might help.
I missed the TV programme tonight - can't stand Lord patronising Winston - but was it any good?

[aloha]

My ds likes the eggs which are high in Omega 3 fatty acids because of the hens' diet - They are called Columbus and you can get them from Sainsbury's. He has scrambled egg with these once or twice a week.

[robinw]

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[Davros]

Oh, was the programme last night!! Shows how carefully I read everything. I was too busy watching Canterbury Tales......
Agree about Lord Winston, thinks he's a Lord or something (and he's a Gooner).

[aloha]

Hi Robinw - per egg it's 0.7g of Omega 6 and 0.7 of Omega 3. It says on the pack that's half the adult daily requirement - don't know what the dose was in the study. The eggs are free range, no GM and no artificial yolk colours. The hens' diet is vegetarian (flaxseed oils etc). The website is www.columbuseggs.com. They can't taste too bad, ds ate 2 as scrambled eggs with cheese last night!

[robinw]

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[Aniles]

I don't know how to add a link so you'll have to copy and paste I'm afraid The following address is to a study about omega fish oils. I've found it to be very informative and it may help those who are undecided about the effects of EyeQ and similar supplements. EyeQ does taste absolutely disgusting but it is very easy to disguise in food like youghurt. I manage to get away with mixing 2 tea spoons in one of those small childrens fromage frais and my daughter can't taste the difference. Anyway, here's the address:

www.dyslexic.org.uk/nutrition_article.html

[worley]

hi,
I realise this Is a zombie thread but was searching for information in supplements and ADHD. I have a 6 yr old ds who has recently been diagnosed with ADHD, his father is very anti medication that the drs want to prescribe and am therefore searching for another alternative to try and help before resorting for the medical route.
My question is, if any of these original posters are still around, how long did they use the fish oil for and dithery think it helped at all?

[worley]

sorry on phone.. do they think it helped not dithery ..

[worley]

bump