"Should parents give children Omega-3 supplements to promote better health and brain development? Most pediatricians now agree, the answer is, yes.
Most pediatricians today agree that children aren’t getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in their diets. It’s been called, "one of the biggest nutritional problems facing American children today."
Sadly, omega-3 "fats" are not the kind of found in ice cream. That elusive news story in which doctors urge kids to eat more mint chocolate chip will have to wait for another day.
Unfortunately, and perhaps predictably, the richest sources of omega-3 are various types of seafood. Yup, fish. Fish oil to be precise.
Read more: "Giving Kids Omega-3 Fish Oil for Healthy Brains: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Available in Supplements May Fight ADHD | Suite101.com"
Research has shown that essential fatty acids could have significant benefits for numerous learning and behavioral conditions, including dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD, in addition to improving learning among groups without challenging conditions.
In 2002, a Local Education Authority in Durham County, England conducted a double-blind, randomized, one-way crossover placebo-controlled study.
This trial is the largest and most extensive study to look at fatty acids and learning conditions. More than 12 schools in the county were given either active or placebo capsules every day in a double-blind, randomized format. The main aim of the trial was to look at dyspraxia and motor skills, but there were also full assessments for dyslexia and ADHD. More than 12,000 assessments were performed in the course of the year. The reports were very encouraging for students, parents and teachers.
