Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Flip

Original poster

Eye Q. Question.

24 replies

pixel · 22/10/2004 16:01

Hi, My Ds has been taking Efalex capsules (broken open and hidden in cereals)for almost six months with no ill effects. Recently i have had trouble getting hold of it as no-one seems to stock it anymore and have had to change him to EyeQ. However, he has suddenly become very hyperactive with lots of giggling for no apparent reason. His sleep patterns which were finally getting quite good have gone haywire again. This week I have even had to resort to strapping him in his buggy at 10.30 at night just to try and calm him down enough to go to sleep after several hours of him clambering on the furniture and running from room to room. It did work but I don't really want to repeat it as these things very quickly become a habit with him and I'll end up doing it every night. not really desirable in a 4 year old!

Does anyone think that this could be anything to do with the EyeQ? Or should I be looking at other causes such as him recently starting school or coming off the gfcf diet?

OP posts:

jakbrown · 22/10/2004 16:04

Pixel, don't worry- just been talking to my dd's therapist about this today. Yes, Eye Q has got something in it that has had adverse effects on several of the children she works with. They've switched to an Eskimo Kids supplement available at the following website health4youonline.com.
Blimey, I don't know what it is that's in it!
Hope this helps.

Dingle · 22/10/2004 16:15

Oh dear pixel. No real help here I'm afraid, but I have seen Efalex in Boots, Holland & Barrett and my little local LLoyds Chemist, it seemed to be one of the most popular.
I started both ds and dd on fish oils during the summer, could only get hold of the Haliborange one at the time. Someone on here mentioned the "added extras" like sucrose that came with it. At the time my dd (who has DS) was being a little angel but my 5 yr old ds (NT) was being a little monster. I had read on here about possible side effects so I took them both off of it and I'm in search of something new that both of them can use, so it needs to be suitable for a 3 yr old.
I hope you have better luck too.

blossomhill · 22/10/2004 16:20

Pixel - EyeQ had a very negative impact on my dd. It made her hyperactivity and behaviour 10x worse. I am so scared to try anything else now as the effects were so bad. I am hearing more and more people saying the same thing!

MarmaladeSun · 22/10/2004 17:06

Hi. I too wanted to start DS on EyeQ as his concentration is non existant sometimes, but have heard some very negative comments about the effects. I now use Eskimo kids for both of mine, and have had no problems with it at all. HTH

Original poster

pixel · 22/10/2004 17:18

Thanks everyone. Does anyone want to buy half a tub of EyeQ capsules? I don't think we'll be needing them any more!

Will have to try a bit harder to find Efalex round here. I only started with that because it was cheaper than EyeQ. Have never heard of the Eskimo kids one before so will look for that as well.

OP posts:

Chocol8 · 22/10/2004 17:57

I mentioned the negative effects of EyeQ when I went to the SEN expo today, though didn't get very far. The difference is that when my ds stops taking them, that is when the terrible behaviour and tantrums happen (more than usual and alot more violent).

I also saw Efalex at the expo and spoke to them too. Personally, I think that after I have finished up the stocks of EyeQ, I will try him on Eskimo Kids, purely from what I have read from other threads on this subject. Besides which, EyeQ is so expensive, it costs me £16 a month!

Caroline5 · 22/10/2004 18:04

dd1 had a very bad reaction to Efalex, major hyperactivity and poor concentration. It took months for the effects to wear off, even though she only took it for 2 weeks. I'm never going near any of these oils again!

zebra · 22/10/2004 19:09

Pixel -- I'll have your Eye-Q!?

This is just anecdotal... but having read that if a woman has Evening Primrose Oil supplements it enriches the fatty acids in her breastmilk, I decided to try them. And right away it seemed like my insomnia was much worse. Every day I took them I had trouble falling asleep a night, when I stopped I could sleep again, when I started up again, I couldn't sleep... It was like I had had caffeine that day. I ended up giving most the bottle away. I really think these brain foods can overfeed the brain somehow.... but Eye-Q is not a problem for me or the kids.

RnB · 22/10/2004 19:31

Message withdrawn

zebra · 22/10/2004 19:33

What is stimming?

onlyjoking9329 · 22/10/2004 19:42

i tried the eye q but quickly changed to eskimo capsules , have had some amazing reports from school this week, i looked at my calender and my DS has been having the capsules just over four weeks, it is meant to kick in so to speak at 4 weeks so is this coincidence , we will see, he does seem more switched on this week.

heartinthecountry · 22/10/2004 20:04

we use the normal eskimo oil too (not kids) because of the GLA, but that is because our dd has epilepsy. Gloworm very helpfully posted a list of dosages for children for it, as the bottle just gives directions for adults. I will try and find it.

heartinthecountry · 22/10/2004 20:10

Here it is:

Never use more than the recommended dose.

Eskimo Liquid:
AGE 0-2, 1ml
AGE 2-4, 2ml
AGE 4-8, 3ml
AGE 8-12, 4ml
AGE 12-ADULT, 5ml teaspoon.

There are some other good threads about fish oils generally - if you go into search archived messages you can find them.

pepsi · 22/10/2004 20:48

Hi RnB, can you tell me what stimming is. We put our ds 4 on Eye Q probably about 8 months ago. I wouldnt say his concentration has improved, his teacher says in fact he has very low concentration, doesnt listen and runs everywhere. He was like this before Eye Q, but could this be making him worse. How long should you take these oils for anyway, can you take them indefinately? and it you want to stop them can you just stop or should you do it gradually. We have been thinking of stopping so we have only been giving him one sachet of the little beads a day.

RnB · 23/10/2004 08:50

Message withdrawn

pepsi · 23/10/2004 11:16

He is only having one sachet a day so should I cut down to every other day for a week then every few days for another week and then stop or should I do it over a longer period.

Original poster

pixel · 23/10/2004 13:39

Zebra, You're welcome to the EyeQ. There are only 20 capsules but if they are any use send me your address and I'll put them in the post.

OP posts:

pepsi · 24/10/2004 09:23

Any more advice on cutting down on the Eye Q and how quick you can do it to stop completely.

pepsi · 24/10/2004 19:47

bump

onlyjoking9329 · 24/10/2004 20:50

we just swapped onto the eskimio oil.

jojo38 · 24/10/2004 23:18

Glad I caught this post. EyeQ was recommended to me for ds (dcd dyspraxia) - I shall talk to psych before giving it now. Thanks.

pepsi · 25/10/2004 08:40

Any more advice on stopping the Eye Q and not using any other oils.

Tartegnin · 01/11/2004 09:37

Pepsi: I think on the manufacturer's site there's something about not stopping it "cold turkey".

Also, I know everyone is different and has different reactions, but just wanted to say for the record that DD (aged 5) has had no perceivable ill effects from Eye Q and it seems to have helped her concentration and speech.

eyeore · 07/07/2005 12:57

Just to let everyone know i've just got eye q on prescription for my daughter
Worth knowing as it is so expensive

Flip