How do vitamins improve behaviour?

[skewiff]

DS has been taking multivitamins, zinc and magnesium and eskimo oil since beginning of December. His behaviour has changed drastically.

It is so clear to our family, and school (who don't know he's taking anything new) say he is significantly maturer - so much so that they have no behaviour issues with him now.

Today I took DS to his cranial osteopath and instantly he said that there was something very different in DS and his behaviour.

I know the vitamins are completely what made the change - it happened almost instantly.

The thing is that DS has CP and I don't know much at all about supplements. I wasn't really sure that his behaviour was affected by his condition before taking them. I just thought he was hard work. But now looking back I realise why he was so much trouble.

DS used to be hyperactive, chaotic, impulsive and very difficult to engage with/talk to - he wouldn't stay still enough in his body or mind to have a proper conversation. Now he is intelligent, calm, considered, reasonable ... I can explain why I don't want him to do things now and he understands, modifies his behaviour and apologises!!

But giving him these vitamins does feel a bit like I'm drugging him and I wonder whether he'll have to take them all for the rest of his life?

detox "nanna...didn't have any supplements and we didn't have any behavioural issues..."

correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they all have a spoon full of cod liver oil every day? My parents and grandparents did....

I'm definitely going to give them a go for DS2 whose behaviour is causing us serious concern at the minute.

WW2 Kids all had a spoonful of the following daily:-

1/ Malt extract (B vits)
2/ Cod liver oil (EPA + vits A&D)
3/ Rosehip syrup (Vit C)

In addition under 5's got orange juice and any bananas (magnesium) available (much to my Mum's annoyance as she was too old when this came in lol).

My Mum and Dad both got these as kids during rationing. One was in England, the other in Africa, so it's nonsense to say the older generation's didn't do supplements.

The enriched soil/home grown spinach experiment was cos DS was anaemic despite a very good diet (unlike most asd kids I've always been very lucky there) and I didn't want to do the iron supplements as they have an odd effect on most people's bowels. We tested before and after a 3 month period at my GP. This was enough to convince me there's summat in this nutrition malarkey.

I agree with Magso that perhaps those with neurodevelopmental issues across a range of disorders need extra amounts of certain nutrients compared to the norm.

Half asleep but though I share some knowledge ...

If your child has White dots or patches under the fingernails that's a sign n zinc deficiency

Oh and zInc is best given just before sleep

Soft fingernails I think is also a sign of magnesium deficiency.

My DS is growing well and eats well, however I think I will now start giving him supplements after reading on here how much they help others with behaviour.
DH and I are exhausted, we are soon going to be unable to go on any kind on holiday due to ds's horrendous meltdowns. I don't know if they will make a difference but will try anything now.
Soooo fed up.

time, really sorry you're feeling so fed up. I know that feeling.

I'll be buying some Z and M today and giving it to dd alongside the Eskimo oil, so wish me luck! I really hope it works for your ds too! Let's make sure we report back in a week or 2

Hi detox, sorry to hear that you feel the same way. I've just told DH about this thread and he's wasting no time! Going to order buckets of it.
If it makes a difference I think I'll have a party!

Will report back.

detox and time have you got the "brain food" book by Robin Pauc??? (available from amazon)????

You can take the suppplements along with an exercise programme....just a thought.

Good luck x