Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Omega-3 for Attention and Focus Issues

Does anyone give Omega-3 to their kids to help with attention and focus? My ds6 is having a lot of issues and we are working on getting some answers - could be sensory integration issues or possibly ADD. In the meantime, I'm looking at what I can do to help. If you use Omega-3, how much do you give to kids and did you see a noticeable difference? We have Coromega which is 2000 mg - I take that and really like it. Maybe it's the placebo effect but I am able to focus better.

I thought I had read that folks are using this for establishing better sleep patterns. More sleep is supposed to be a big help with adhd-like symptoms.
I think Melatonin is in this category too - natural sleep aid.

We do really well with sleep. He gets 10 hours a night and it's very consistent with bedtime and wake-up times. After reading NurtureShock, I'm a lot more aware of the sleep the kids are getting and don't let bedtime get any later than we have to. That's tough whenever we have an activity at night though.

Funny thing with the Omega-3, ds6 doesn't like Coromega (I even tried giving him lemon-lime flavor today)... then I was grinding up flaxseed to put in our muffins and he asked for the ground flaxseed by itself and he loved it. I also make pancake mix from scratch and put a bunch of it in there. I'm not sure how beneficial flaxseed is compared to fish oil though since flaxseed apparently doesn't contain DHA and EPA?

http://www.aolhealth.com/conditions/ask-the-doctor-is-flaxseed-oil-a-good-source-of-omega-3-fats

This was interesting but not an unbiased source...

http://www.flaxhealth.com/nutrition.htm

We take the Coromega orange squeeze. It is 2000 mg total, but what matters most is the milligrams of DHA and EPA. You are getting closer to 340 mg of EPA and 260 of DHA (if my memory serves me right. Sorry, I am too lazy to go check). I have heard that the ratio of EPA to DHA is important too. I think it may be 1.5 to 1, but don't quote me on that. Flax is great for the heart but I believe it supplies ALA which the body has to convert so it isn't as effective for mood, attention, etc.

I think you are correct about the flax just based on what I could find online. I guess I just need to figure out ways to get him to take the Coromega orange, like in his yogurt. He completely refuses to take it by itself. Thanks!

My DD HATED the orange pudding at first and refused it, but then I flat out bribed her. I said if you take this, you can have___________________(insert small treat of your choice). I did this for a little while and now she will even ask for it and she is very picky. There are other brands and other methods of getting them to take it: liquids, caps, other flavors, but again, good old fashioned reward worked here :-)

If any of you know anyone who sells Amway (it has a new name now) they make a vitamin line that has an Omega-3 supplement for kids called Brainiums. They are like gummies and my kids love them.

I don't think Melatonin is supposed to be good for kids. I read somewhere that it can delay puberty.

Both my kids get Omega's - there are studies that suggest it decreases the incidence of bipolar and schizophrenia. Bipolar runs in my family and my DS is left handed, both of which are potentially related, so I feel like this is a tiny potential safeguard.

My DS loves the Coremega lemon lime, but my DD won't take it - she takes the strawberry chews made by I can't remember - Dr. someone. I think the Coremega is a better product tho.

Maybe I will try bribing him. Coromega is supposed to come out with a chocolate raspberry flavor soon.

Ds 9 takes one TBSP of Barleans liquid flaxseed oil and two 100mg tablets of L-Theanine every day. It took about a month, but then we could see noticeable improvement in his focusing. Now ds seems a little calmer and "turned down a few notches" ... When he misses a day, we can totally see the difference...Very strange how this could work so well for him, but hey, I'm not changing it...I'm a believer!!! Good luck

My 11 year old son has been taking 1000 mg omega 3 fish oil softgel supplements for over a year now--the kind you can get at Wal-Mart. I just cut open the capsule and mix it with orange juice. He also takes a multivitamin.

He has some sensory issues and motor dyspraxia, but his musical theater teacher and choreographer noticed an improvement in everything--especially his timing and his ability to learn the dances quickly, and he seemed to have more self confidence. The only thing I didn't see an improvement in was his endurance. He still got tired faster than the other kids but he was able to compensate by focusing better on learning the dances. In a circuitry class he had no trouble at all with the wiring. He seemed to get better in piano even without practicing. But we were also working on some things at home that might have helped him.

Everything was getting better until he had to start wearing a hard plastic scoliosis brace that limits his mobility and is painful. It is harder for him to concentrate when he hurts and he is more sensitive to annoying sounds than he ever was and because of the pain, he tires even more quickly.

With it coming so early these days, I'm all for that.

Really? Interesting.

It seems I need to make my own shopping list.

Our whole family takes Omega-3 supplements. For kids, a company called Northwest Natural Products makes L'il Critter Omega-3 Gummy Fish that taste yummy - DS and I both take these (DH takes a GIANT fish oil capsule - ugh!). For DS, it does seem to help him focus and for me, I notice an improvement in my ability to learn and retain faster (especially physically - I'm a dancer).

I also throw flax seed into our homemade bread, and we put milled flax seed into our pancakes and baked goods.

Ha! I was thinking that, too--seems puberty is 4 or 5 years earlier than it used to be, so let's send it the other way for a change!

I was reading this thread yesterday, and today we had our first appointment with the actual psychologist (as opposed to the counselor we've been seeing with DS7) and when I asked about dietary things for Asperger's and for DS7's anger and frustration issues specifically, he recommended both the fish oil with Omega 3 and the flaxseed. I'll have to look at the health food store and see what they have that he might be interested in getting down. He's not much into swallowing pills, but most anything works if it can be slipped into juice or Ovaltine.

Hi this is Nicole from Coromega. We came across this forum and were thrilled to see that so many of you are taking Coromega! LadybugMom, we are a glad to hear that you like Coromega and although we don�t have plans of coming out with Chocolate-Raspberry, we think your son may enjoy taking his Coromega mixed into smoothies or yogurts. We have a few great and fun recipes that you can try here: http://coromega.com/coromega/html/tasty.html. Also, look forward to seeing our newest product, Coromega Kids Omega3 Gummy Fruits � available soon! We wanted to offer you and other members a printable online coupon good for $5 off your next box of Coromega Omega3 Squeeze: http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index......jsp?Link=WIYI45OZ4MOTG. Enjoy and thanks again!

Thanks for suggestions - I think the gummy fruits would work well for my son but we will try it in smoothies in the meantime. The salesperson in my local vitamin store mentioned the new flavor - he must have gotten some mis-information.

Will the gummy fruits have the better absorbency similar to the current Coromega? Thanks for the coupon!

Hello all! Just have to mention something important about the Coromega gummies...Sorry to the ones who are fans .....The top two ingredients are glucose syrup and sugar, which in some children, have proven to cause inattentiveness/behavior difficulties. Another ingredient in the Coromega gummies is fumaric acid, which is a food additive. Additives have also been found to cause focusing problems in children. I urge you to look into the Nordic Naturals brand, which have no fillers or sugar...Only the pure blends of essential fatty acids of EPA, DHA, and GLA. A great tasting one for kids is omega 3-6-9 junior. A great website to also look into is feingold.org. It has a wealth of information explaining how food additives, preservatices, sugar, etc...can cause huge behavior/focusing problems in children. Lots of interesting stuff!!!! Hugs to all

Thanks Cecilia! This board is always a wealth of information.

Hi it's Nicole from Coromega again! LadybugMom, although our gummies do not have the 300% better absorption rate like our Omega3 Squeezes, they were designed for those, especially children, who would rather take their vitamins in a chewable candy-like format. Each serving still contains 50 mg of DHA and 10 mg of EPA, so your children are still getting their much-needed omega-3�s. The Coromega Omega3 Squeeze is still our corner-stone product, but we know not everyone will enjoy the taste or texture so wanted to give another option. Hi Cecilia, we completely understand your concerns and appreciate your response. We focus our product on providing as much DHA as possible, which is important for a child�s brain development and our gummies have the DHA and EPA that is much-needed. Our additional ingredients are included for flavoring purposes and the fumaric acid is used for the sour coating in the gummies. If you�re worried about any of the ingredients, we do recommend trying our sugar-free Omega3 Squeeze or contacting our offices at 877-275-3725 for answers to your questions. We are always here to help! Thank you for all of your comments.

Just saw this old thread and wanted to just add this:

"In 1996, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study comparing the prevalence of depression across ten nations. The survey yielded eye-opening results in showing how the lifetime and annual rates for depression vary widely from country to country (eg 1.5 in every 100 adults in Taiwan experience depression in their lifetimes while the figure is 19 for every 100 adults in Beirut). A 1998 study published in The Lancet compared this data with fish consumption, finding the higher consuming populations experienced less depression.

A 2003 study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry compared similar cross-national epidemiological data - this time involving bipolar disorder - and seafood consumption, again finding a strong correlation."

Cat