Can Omega 3 supplements benefit hyperactive children?

There is a debate raging at the moment about the use of drugs to treat a hyperactive child. It seems from the debate that a diagnosis of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is very quick to be made and drugs are very quick to be prescribed.

We aren’t here today to buy into the debate about describing drugs for hyperactive children, or about the definitions of ADHD or when it should be diagnosed.

What we are here to do is to bring to your attention the results of studies which have shown that increasing a child’s intake of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids, and in particular DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), the 2 most important of the Omega 3 fatty acids, may well have a role in reducing the incidence of hyperactivity in children, and may well have a role in improving the results that a child with a range of conditions may well experience at school.

Studies have clearly shown that over the last century our intake of the essential fatty acids has gradually declined and that now most of us, including children, are deficient in these important fats.

Research is also finding that increasing our intake of the Omega 3 fats has a wide range of health benefits, and in particular that it can improve our mental function from birth or even before that, right through to old age. DHA makes up a large part of our brain and therefore it would seem to make sense that if our intake of DHA in particular is low our brain may not function as well.

Studies are also now showing that a hyperactive child may well benefit from increasing his or her intake of the essential fatty acids. And in particular studies are showing that this increase in intake of the Omega 3 fats may well make a significant positive impact on the ability of the child to perform at school.

In a trial in Durham in the UK this was extensively studied. A group of children were selected on the basis that they were not doing particularly well at school, but not as a result of poor ability. Half the children selected were given Omega 3 supplements in the form of capsules and the other half were given a placebo, and as is the case in the studies none of the children knew which they were getting.

Results showed a significant improvement in the ability of the children receiving the Omega 3 fats to do better at school.

Whilst this does not prove that Omega3 supplements are a treatment for ADHD it certainly suggests that this should be studied further. And it’s not only ADHD, there are a number of other conditions that can be diagnosed in a hyperactive child which may also benefit including dyslexia and dyspraxia.

If you’re interested in reading much more about the study you can do so on the website of the BBC.

There seems to be a growing body of evidence that increasing the intake of Omega 3 essential fats is of benefit to all of us, including children and even the unborn. The health benefits of an increased essential fatty acid intake extend to a much wider range of health conditions than just ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia. Read the rest of this entry

Can kids with DCD (Developmental Coordination Disorder) improve the condition by dietary supplementation with Omega 3 fatty acids?

DCD, or Developmental Coordination Disorder, affects around 5% to 10% of children, and also affects adults. It results in awkwardness and difficulty with various aspects of life, and in particular with activities requiring motor skills, like sports. It can result, for example, in such problems as lack of hand/eye coordination, and difficulty in managing some gross motor skills.

And having these difficulties can result in such problems as having an awkward and limiting posture. They can become clumsy and tend to fall over more often, and have other related problems such as difficulty in writing legibly.

Of course in children, who so love their sports, having DCD, or Developmental Coordination Disorder, can impact on a wide range of different areas of their lives. These types of problems can have impacts on their self esteem and self image and other potential psychological repercussions. They can experience lifelong problems such as very limited social skills.

And there can be physical repercussions from childhood DCD as well. Being reluctant to undertake sports and physical activity because of their difficulties in these areas can result in children becoming overweight and unfit, including in later life.

The causes of DCD are not really understood. But it is also known that children with Developmental Coordination Disorder may also be more likely to exhibit other problems such as autism, ADHD and various other learning disabilities.

In short, Developmental Coordination Disorder can be a very severe disorder. So it’s of interest that a study about Omega 3 and DCD has shown a link between increasing intake of Omega 3 essential fatty acids and improving the symptoms of DCD.

In the abstract of the study it is noted that “Mounting evidence suggests that a relative lack of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids may contribute to related neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.”

The study investigated dietary supplementation of children with DCD using Omega 3 and Omega 6 supplements. 117 children with Developmental Coordination Disorder were selected for the study. The stated result from the abstract was that “No effect of treatment on motor skills was apparent, but significant improvements for active treatment versus placebo were found in reading, spelling, and behavior over 3 months of treatment in parallel groups. After the crossover, similar changes were seen in the placebo-active group, whereas children continuing with active treatment maintained or improved their progress.”

And the conclusion drawn was that “Fatty acid supplementation may offer a safe efficacious treatment option for educational and behavioral problems among children with DCD. Additional work is needed to investigate whether our inability to detect any improvement in motor skills reflects the measures used and to assess the durability of treatment effects on behavior and academic progress.”

As with all these things this doesn’t necessarily prove that dietary supplementation with Omega 3 supplements and Omega 6 essential fatty acids will cure DCD, but it’s certainly something that any parent with a child with DCD should be aware of. Read the rest of this entry