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SN children

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Original poster

Please tell me more about omega 3....

31 replies

neverputasockinatoaster · 18/04/2011 19:41

I have seen it mentioned a lot on here as I lurk and have been googling and seen that omega 6 is high in milk which DS drinks like water!

I was wondering what people think, can anyone point me in the direction of information in simple lay persons terms?

Also a good source for a 6 yo with some sensory issues and definite taste issues? (I can't get calpol down him as it is 'too thick'!) He will eat some Haribo sweets though so is there anything in that texture?

He's not got a diagnosis but when/if he gets one I suspect it will be HFA or Asbergers possibily with a bit of PDA thrown in for good measure!

Thanks

OP posts:

EllenJane1 · 18/04/2011 20:13

My DS2 takes eye Q fish oils which are high in the right sort of omega oils, but there may be cheaper alternatives. They do a chewy one but we haven't tried it. They also do a vanilla flavoured liquid version. Write or e-mail them and ask for some samples to try the different types.

My DS showed a significant improvement 6 weeks after starting them, one of those developmental leaps, which may have been due to them. We stopped it a few years ago and did seem to notice a detrimental effect so went back on. Can't swear they work but we think they do.

Moosemama is a veggie and has found a veggie version which is slightly more expensive but not as strong tasting as not fishy! She'll be able to tell you or search past threads, last 2 months. HTH

CinnamonPretzel · 18/04/2011 20:26

DS6.9 also has the orange flavour - Haliboorange omega 3 & vitamins
For him it made him more alert almost instantly. We didn't tell his teacher, but she commented after a day!

You can by chew pastels but not sure how affective they are compared to liquid?

moosemama · 18/04/2011 20:48

This article gives quite a good overview of what omegas are and why they are worth a try.

The modern western diet is rich in Omega 6, but not Omega 3 and we need a good balance of Omega 3, EPA and DHA in an easily metabolised format along with the Omega 6 for good health.

This article explains a bit more. With a follow on article about Omega 6 here.

I think this is a more succinct, quick answer though.

As Ellen said, I have recently put my whole family on a veggie version of the fish oils which is made from algae. Other veggie supplements tend to be flax or walnut derivatives and don't contain the pre-converted DHA and EPAs so are pretty ineffective.

The other benefit to the veggie version, as Ellen mentioned is that it doesn't taste fishy - in fact it barely tastes of anything at all. All three of my dcs take it twice a day with no problems. I tend to pierce the capsule and squirt the oil into a yoghurt and they don't even notice. I have even been known to squirt it onto a piece of birthday cake once when I forgot their second dose - again none of them noticed.

Positive effects we've noticed with ds1 (aged 9 with a dx of Asperger's) have been a much more even mood (fewer mood swings) and a much improved ability to get to sleep at night. I've also noticed that he doesn't seem to be so reactive and things that would previously have provoked an angry outburst seem to have passed him by. (There I am waiting with baited breath for him to explode and the explosion never happens. )

Just this week I have also noticed that he seems to be a bit more in touch with his emotions and whilst not more empathic exactly, has been more able to put himself in someone else's place when its pointed out to him that he has upset them.

He has been on them for a month now and being veggie, would have been very depleted before we started the supplements.

EllenJane1 · 18/04/2011 20:48

The eye q oils are omega 3 and 6 and are high in EPA, 188mg in a daily dose. DHA only 58mg per daily dose. Some omega 3 and 6 aren't high in EPA which is what is supposed to aid concentration.

If you are naturally deficient you might see a bigger improvement. If you already get enough in your diet you may not see such an improvement. Apparently vegetarians can be deficient. HTH

EllenJane1 · 18/04/2011 20:49

Hey! I just cross posted with moosemama!

sleepyhorse · 18/04/2011 20:51

Are the eye q fish oils supposed to help with their concentration levels? I'm thinking of getting for ds too as he has very short attention span so hoping will help?

moosemama · 18/04/2011 20:53

Ellen!

ArthurPewty · 18/04/2011 21:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moosemama · 18/04/2011 21:03

I'd be happy to link, but I'm starting to worry that people will think I'm promoting sales of the stuff or something.

Will pm you a link Leonie.

EllenJane1 · 18/04/2011 21:05

They say they 'may' improve concentration and brain development. They are essential oils that we can only produce by a diet which includes oily fish (or a supplement)

I think they are worth a try, sleepyhorse, if pricey.

Original poster

neverputasockinatoaster · 18/04/2011 21:16

Thank you every body.

I shall do some research and read the links.

My son is a very emotional and reactive child, lots of anger related meltdowns so I read Moosemama's post with great interest.

I appreciate the help.

OP posts:

sleepyhorse · 18/04/2011 21:22

Cool, am definitely going to try them. How many capsules do they suggest you give them a day? What kind of issues does your son have ellenjane?

thederkinsdame · 18/04/2011 21:35

Just to say that my DS was hyper on eyeq capsules. He has asd and reacts to some flavourings and colourings so be prepared to try a few. We give him eskimo fish oil, but it only comes as a liquid so your DS may not like it... It has helped and we do notice a difference if we run out.

moosemama · 18/04/2011 21:51

Sleepyhorse, ds1 is on two capsules a day so one bottle of 60 is a month's course for him.

EllenJane1 · 18/04/2011 22:10

Sleepyhorse, 2 a day of the eye q ones, too, but they recommend 6 a day for the first 2? weeks to get levels up. DS would never have had 6 so we started with 3 and moved down to 2.

EllenJane1 · 18/04/2011 22:14

Sorry, just seen second part of your post. My DS2 has HF ASD, he's not an aspie, a bit more extreme. He's also very 'active' but not ADHD. He's 11 and has been taking them since he was 5, with a small pause of a couple of months a few years ago, just to test out if they were really having any effect. We think they do, but going on others' reports, the effect isn't universal.

supermum98 · 19/04/2011 18:27

Hi everyone, have always been told by various sources that eye Q are the purest oils and the rolls royce. Had no success however, getting my ds. to take either capsules, vanilla or citrus flavours as even with flavouring still tastes fishy. Did notice on here weeks ago, people have been adding to yogurts so decided this holiday to give it another go. Went into Boots today and there is a buy three and get cheapest free offer on, for all vitamin/supplements so now's a good time to stock up. More excitingly in the eye Q range there is a box of eye Q smooth (tropical flavoured sachets), don't know how long it has been around but can be taken neat or mixed with food and drink. Hoping it is their response to solving the fishy taste.
Will tell you tomorrow.
On research side, have read some of the original papers years ago and is reported to help with concentration, mood, ie. even improve depression.
Certainly have heard dyslexic adults say it has helped their reading and generally is supposed to improve cognitive performance. Don't know how good the research was though.

Would imagine healthspan have good quality supplements too, but may be a bit cheaper than eyeQ

DOes anyone know whether they can be got on prescription?

notapizzaeater · 19/04/2011 19:07

The eskimo oils are available as a capsule. My DS will not take Eye Q in any shape or form but will happily take the eskimo ones.

We noticed fewer meltdowns, more even keel and just generally "nicer" - within a few days.

We also give him 2 of the Boots/Tesco small ones as he likes to pop these in his mouth but they don't have as much goodies in them.

exoticfruits · 19/04/2011 19:26

I take them myself but DSs refused point blank so that was that!

thederkinsdame · 19/04/2011 19:44

notapizza - oooh I didin't know you could get the eskimo ones as capsules. I'll look out for them!

chocjunkie · 19/04/2011 22:18

same here as thederkinsdame's DS. we also noticed DD going hyper on the eyeQ (chews). also, she started making strange noises and came up with some very weird repetitive hand movements. it was all really odd and completely did our head in. we converted to haliborange and she stopped this hand movement and the noises. no idea if this is coincidence. will certainly give eyeQ another shot at some point as it seemed to help more with other aspects (e.g. toilet training took off under eyeQ but now it stalled ).

anitah21 · 19/04/2011 23:30

I give my dd Bassets multivitamins with omega 3, they are chewy blackcurrant pastiles and she is quite happy chewing that after her dinner, and my mum said watching dd that within days of starting the vitamins that it was like someone had flicked a switch in my dd, she seemed to come alive, they are £5 for a months supply but boots and tescos tend to do buy 3 for the price of 2 so it works out ok then, she has been taking them for 2 yrs and i always make sure we have loads in stock.

supermum98 · 20/04/2011 07:35

Tried eyeQ smooth in yogurt last night and although I thought it still tasted fishy, ds never commented. The gr8 thing is it looks yogurt like itself so blends in well. Hoping for meltdown free Easter!!

Oblomov · 20/04/2011 08:18

healthspan

Supermum mentioned Healthspan. I use them. My mum recommeneded them to us for ds1(7) possible aspergers. he and ds2(2) now beg fro "Brain pills", and love them everyday. Once, I ran out and Healthpan had no more, so I went to Boots, I tried the EyeQ one's but they weren't that keen.
My mum recommended them more than the EyeQ ones. But I have no record of why.

Oblomov · 20/04/2011 08:19

And, I am not convinced of the difference. Or maybe i am just not good at spotting it. But we keep on going, anyway.

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