My son is 8 and was assessed as being gifted some years ago. We have all the usual problems, hassles and worries that go along with having a gifted child - but our issue of the moment is that we he is having problems with being restless again at school. His teacher spoke to me today about him not being able to sit still - at all!!!. He physically jiggles and moves around constantly. On the mat, other kids will slowly move away from him as he tends to annoy them and fidgets. He is blissfully unaware this is happening or that he is doing it. If he is moved up to the front he them becomes so focused on what they are doing he blurts out all the answers and doesn't give anyone else a chance to get a word in.
His teacher was very kind and she acknowledges that he isn't naughty but he just has way too much energy and enthusiasm and doesn't seem to know how to channel it.
Is there any other parents that have any ideas? He used to take Omega 3 - a brand called "Efalex". Has anyone else used this or knows of it? - I am going to start him on this again but would appreciate any ideas to help him concentrate better and sit still!!! This also affects his school work. He is capable of so much but is too busy talking or moving in his seat to consentrate for long. I am also looking at his sugar and preservatives intake as I know he is VERY sensititve to these
thanks and any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated.
i have just stumbled across this site so felt tempted to respond. there are studies coming out which demonstrate that omega 3 is good for brain developmment and helps control hyperactive behaviour. I would encourage you to go back to using it. I gave Efalex to my daughter (and Eskimo Oil as it was called in Ireland - and better tasting) on and off over the years and really noticed a difference in her behaviour - more calm (less excitable). In addition, my daughter was / still is very sensitive to preservatives and additives although not so for sugar. Sue Dengate (Australia) has written some valuable information and receipe books on food and behaviour in conjunction with the Royal Albert (i think) Hospital in Australia. I found this invaluable to understand what was effecting my daughter and now carry a handy wallet card with all the prohibited additives. When shopping, my daughter will frequently refer to the card to see if she can have the desired food (typically only becuase it has a bright label!)
I too have a jiggler - even developed annoying little nose wriggling and tongue clicking habits as he fights so hard to control his 'need to move'. This is not to be confused with concentration as he is always extremely focused - just has a physical need to move his body. My brother was the same!
We keep him very busy! Lots and lots of extra-curricular activites. This was also the recommendation made by the psychologist who assessed him. We have double up nights where he plays squash for 2 hours followed by a quick tea and then karate for 2 hours, and still at bed time is wanting to chat and read. Or, soccer practise followed by a swimming lesson, and still he always manages to finish all his homework. Phew! The only one exhausted is poor Mum! He manages 10x as much physical activity in a game than anyone else - runs, jumps leaps, spins, cartwheels, handsprings - consequently he is very good at sport and this has many positive spin offs.
If he does not get a lot of physical activity he is much more likely to wriggle and jiggle in class, although he tries really hard not to do this and is successful most of the time.
Having said that, one understanding teacher did allow for him to go out and run around the school if he felt he needed to, which may be a helpful suggestion for your son.
I don't know how Efalex tastes but the oil that my kids love is the vanilla flavoured one called "eye q". it's the same one used in the Durham trial in England (there was a show on it on TV last year).
My son first started taking it last year and we have noticed a great improvement in his restlessness and attention span.
Go for it!
I have a gifted husband and daughter and they both benefit from omega 3 and 6 .
Did you know that these have to be balanced to work best in the brain and omega 3 fish oil works best with evening primrose oil?
My hubby has depression caused by health issuses but also because he is top 1/2 % and dyslexic so gets REALLY frustrated and om 3 and 6 work really well for him.
We call it "squeeky fish oil" (get it? because it is what you use to stop fish from squeeking!!!!). There was an article in t.v on thursday night on t.v 1 and that said that fish oil in the right balance is better than ritalin!
Rachel,
Hi.
We got the evening primrose in an oil capsule , pieced it with a neddle and mixed it into a choc milk drink (she couldn't tell!) .
You could mix it in the orange sachet. Yes, we found eye Q very expensive with two taking it. I get heathries omega3 and 6 womens formulae at the supermarket at 1/3 the cost of the chemist ! ! !
Good luck and please let me know how you get on.
Sarah
My two HATED the 'eye Q' liquid. What an expensive waste of money! No amount of mixing, trying to hide the flavour amongst other foods, worked.
We are really careful about foods containing "100" numbers. They set our children off! Usually very energetic, our children become unbearably busy, noisy, on the verge of crazy... You wouldn't beleive the numbers of things you buy which have these additives in them - sauces, packet gravies, some yoghurts, etc. For us, the more natural and home-made the better the outcome (for all of us!).
I went researching the omega 6 thing and was told that most people get more than enough omega 6 in their diet but not enough omega 3 so I was advised not to supplement my son (or myself) with omega 6.
We have nearly finished the eye Q bottle though we have to sneak it in when our son isn't watching!!!!! Poor kid. We are also moving to dairy free so his beloved milo is now soy milk and eye Q!!!!
At least we can just give him the coromega sachet and he happily sucks it all out.
I like the idea of piercing the capsules though. Will remember that for future reference.
What I don't know for sure is whether it is helping his concentration. We have a number of interventions going on for our son and he is showing amazing progress but which one (or a combo of all?) is doing it. Considering I am a science teacher, I haven't done a very fair test!
Just a quick suggestion re the moving away from dairy. Our house is wheat and dairy free (among many other things) however my son and I are also soy intolerant. So for over a year now, the children and I have used rice milk instead. We all use plain rice milk for cereals etc, then the kids have 2 cups of it a day - chocolate in the morning and vanilla rice milk in the evening. It comes enriched with all the vitamins etc and the kids LOVE both the flavours. It is naturally quite sweet - so even the plain tastes okay. In fact I prefer it to the normal! It is quite thin but still reasonably creamy! Soy has quite a strong taste and leaves a funny feeling in the mouth. I know that my son from about 11mths (after breast feeding when we realised he was allergic to dairy) refused soy - even as a formula! So I would personally recommend rice milk as an excellent replacement for dairy!
I understand how you feel with the eye Q vanilla liqid, I sneaked it into thick shakes mixed it in my sons dinner, you could tell by his face he knew something was in there. Then I came clean and bribed him for a while (not my best move) but once he saw the difference it made to him he hapiily took it. My son has been taking eye Q since January 06 and it has made a big difference to him. An expensive one yes I agree, even more so when he is 12 and the cost could be cut if only he would swallow the capsuals.
Anyway thats not the reason for my message I just wanted to let you know that you can get Eye Q Smooth it is in sachet form and according to my son tastes better, not good but better. I have since then purchased the new eye Q chews which I am awaiting its delivery from the UK, at the moment but have just been told by Equazan the makers of it that it should be in NZ in about 3 months.
My local chemist is very good they get the eye Q smooth in for me, and now refer to me as the "eye Q lady", so I am hopeful when the chews arrive they will locate it for me. If you do want to try a different form eye Q to the liquid like the eye Q smooth or the chews and can't locate it I would be more than happy to assist in any way I can.
Thanks for the offer but the coromega as a paste seems to be a hit so once the eye Q has gone, we will leave it I think and stick to coromega
Yes, Riley is having some rice milk too but seems okay with soy and I am thinking of putting my daughter on it as she appears lactose intolerant and still playing up (with her sleep )with her custard made with soymilk so I was wondering whether it could be the soy causing it.
I haven't seen the rice milk in flavours- what brand do you use?
I market a pharmacuetical quality Omega 3. If people want more information on Omega 3 they can contact me offline. An occupational therapist refers her patients to me because she notices a difference in children who have used the product. I pass the product on at Wholesale prices to parents of gifted children because I know how much pressure the needs of the children put on the finances of the family.
Hi Rachel - we use Rice Dream. The chocolate is really thick and creamy so the kids think of it as a treat!
Speaking of omega etc, I complained to our local chemist the other day that my children hate the taste (and therefore it's such a major hassle to give) both IQ and Efalex. Well, they handed me 2 trial sachets of - Smartfish, which I then went home and gave to the kids. It's Omega 3 in a smooth orange paste which the kids ....ENJOYED!!!!! According to the pamplet they gave me about it, it is "...sweetened with Xylitol, a natural sweetener, shown in several studies to prevent cavities and support dental health." Also, "...contains no artificial colours or sweeteners." It was delveloped in Norway apparently and is pending patent. Anyway, have no idea about price as yet, but apparently it is easy to get in for the pharmacy. The website they supply is www.yourhealth.com.au
Hi Rachael,
We have a son on the autistic spectrum and we have been using the efalex fish oil which is lemon and lime flavoured, he takes that straight off a teaspoon in the morning. I was told that this one was a very good product to use even though it is expensive to buy. I also have him on a product by kiwiherb called kids calm all of course all natural. I give him a teaspoon of that each morning as well. I think his behaviour has improved settled down alot as well although he is a busy little boy. I hope you do have success in what you do end up trying. Good luck.
Is there anyone out there, who can tell me which of the Efalex versus Eye-Q product works best. I've had a look at the ingredients and it's a difficult call to make without trialling them both.
My son has ADD. We've just started the Efalex caps, but recently heard about the Eye-Q option [which seems to have enjoyed very good success]
I just wondered whether anyone has tried both [Efalex & Eye-Q] and from a performance point-of-view would recommend one over the other. Taste is not an issue as he's 13 and happily swallows his capsules.
We have used Ritalin in the past for about 12 months - with great results, [almost immediate improvement - which built his self-esteem etc. etc.] ... but I was not in favour of the drug route, so have been trying the Omega 3,6,9 products including Flaxomega.
The Flaxomega gave pretty good results and there was a definate improvement [overall], however did not achieve what the Ritalin did.
We found eyeQ hard to use because our son hated it. He likes the coromega and efalex. The efalex has the omega 6 in it but I was told by more than one source that we get more than enough of that one in the diet so the omega 3 is more important.
As to one working 'more than the other' I couldn't say. In my eyes it is all omega 3. Riley is on the autistic spectrum and there may be a bit of ADHD there... apparently not an uncommon diagnosis with his end of the spectrum. We are doing so many interventions that I can't say which ONE is doing it but we are seeing fantastic results and it is getting harder and harder to tell he is on the spectrum.
So I have no real insight.
Riley is gluten and casein free which is recommended for ASD and for ADD/ADHD... have you looked into that? I have read of many being able to give ritalin away once this diet was established. Though I read that 'diet is under control' for you??
We are all taking Eye-Q here (including my grandson) - but the brand prefence is on account of it all being free. We were given 3 big bottles of the Eye-q capsules from the distributor in exchange for feedback and are taking part in an internation trial of "Mumomega Infancy" formula (which provides nine months product in exchange for feedback).
It just makes sense to me that those with real grunty motors under their bonnet are more likely to function better with higher performance fuel and lubes regardless of any dx's or lack thereof.
I was talking to Moira from the LBCTNZ a while back and one of the Omega brands was available at something like 1/2 price with a prescription filled at a specific health food store - cant remember the details now but, Moiras contact details are on the www.lbctnz.co.nz website if anyone wants to follow that up. Feel free to tell her that Chugga suggested you call if that makes you more comfortable.
Moira was actually the first person to suggest that my daughter and I were GT not adhd and has a great deal of knowledge and experience in learning "difficulties" and the like - she is also one who will "go into bat" for kids where necessary for matters such as advocacy in schools.
We have trialled both Efalex and Eye-Q in our house and have found we got a much better result with Efalex. Both of my children took Efalex liquid regularly with amazing results - improved concentration and much better behaviour with my 5 year old ( she is very prone to major melt downs, triggered by the slightest little thing). When they were taking Eye-Q, there was an improvement, but not such a major one, particularly on the meltdown front.
My 5 Year old now takes Efalex daily and will happily take the liquid form straight from the spoon. My 10 year old actually prefers the vanilla flavour of Eye-Q and is taking that one at the moment.
Hope this helps, although taking any brand of omega-3 should help.
We used coromega for some months for our extremely active child and found it to be really good, the only thing was the child we were using it for is very much into soccer and we found it calmed him down so much that he was having a job to keep up the way he used to in a game so we had to take him off it. The other thing was he seemed to get diarrohea a bit with it.
My son has used Efalex for the past 5 years with great results
My son has dyslexia, he left high school last year after completeing his level 3 (university Enterance) with great results
He is now studying to be a nurse.
I found Efalex to be so helpful and over the years have stopped and started Efelex to see what kind of effect it has. When stopped we get a very frustrated young man, unable to concentrate on anything for very long who is disruptive, with unpredictive mood swings
It helps him study and concentrate better but most of all it keeps his personality and behaviour stable, enabling a happy undisturbed family life for all.
My boys take Eye Q, but they take the capsules. They take a mouthful of water, tip their heads back, drop the capsule in and swallow the lot in one. No taste!!! They are 6 and 10 and have taken it this way for a couple of years.
Eye Q chews are now in New Zealand, they are great, they are the size of a capsule and kids just chew them, my son can even swallow them whole now because he knows if he does not get it right the first time he can try again without a nasty taste. They are great. Hurray they made it to NZ definate save on UK postage.
Hi like everyone above we have tried both and for my son the Efalex has been a better option. He has a gag reflex so the capsules were not going to happen. He has now been on it for the 12 weeks and what a difference. To start with we mixed it with soda water and because it was lemon lime, if he drank it quick enough it tasted like L@P. Now he takes it straight. He can concentrate at school and the roughness thru frustration has gone. The school wanted the drugs saying he way very bright but could not concentrate. Through further research we have found he has key characteristic's of dislexia. What a surprise, he was not being naughty he just couldn't do it!!!!. We are now working with this and have a great future to look forward to. Please look for alternatives to the drugs as often they only mask the real problem. The other thing was diet, we knocked out MSG, that made a big difference also all food coloring and chemical preservatives. Thanks I hope this helps someone else.
Where do you buy Efalex
and a wee while ago they had something on the TV about nz products saying they sold Omega 3 capsules, but some were better than others
any suggestions welcome
and How much is Efalex
thanks
Efalex is normally at health food shops- it is about $58 a bottle. You may want to consider flax seed oil- you can get flavoured ones as well as it is quite a bit cheaper ($26 for 500mL). I tend to use it to mash potatoes or mix into food for the kids. I haven't tried feeding it to them yet on a spoon as they also get coromega.
You can get the EyeQ from Unichem. My son's been taking it since 1 year old when we were in UK. It's very popular there. Luckily, we can get it here as well.
HI there, the article on TV acutally showed that Efalex, despite its extreme high cost, actually has very little DHA and thereofre isn't the best product for everyone.
I actually have my son on either the Cenovis (Woolworths - 30 caps $14) or Natures Own (60 caps $21) and these are fantastic. (They are actually the same product under two diff brands). They also have iodine and Vit b which help immensley. They have highest dose of Omega 3 and have had a substantial impact. Easy to take as they are just chewables (and taste of blackcurrant so are great!)
ALso, be careful of using flax oil- it needs to body to break it down first into a usable form, which many kids can't. We had a huige regression in behaviour when we wen't down that road. Def. try these other options - cheaper, but twice as good!
Hi Christine
I get the Cenovis brand (Can be got from Woolworths but is often out of stock) or the other brand name which is actually the same stuff is Natures Own - called Clever Kids Omega 3 Fish Oil which I buy from the Health 2000 shops (or often available in chemists) assuming you are in New Zealand (although have seen it overseas in Ozzie too!)
Good luck, Hope it helps,
Sonja
I finally made a decision regarding which omega 3 to give today and started my daughter on it. All the research I can find points to the ratio of 500mg EPA to 100mg DHA. Most places didn't have anywhere near that much EPA in their capsules but I managed to get hold of one that suited today. I phoned loads of people regarding this and was amazed at the differences in opinion regarding the ratio!
So - is there much evidence that DHA actually shows benefits as I can't find any? Which studies show it please?
Is there a capsule at the ratios I suggested but with VitE added as I haven't been able to locate one.
How long did it take to make a difference (anecdotally). I know that it is supposed to take up to 3 months - but in reality did anyone at this dose see any improvements quickly?
Do you find that it is better to give the dose closer to 500mg or to 1000mg as recommended for some gifted kids who exhibit some ADD/ADHD symptoms?
As you can see I am still unsure about exact dosage despite having spent a couple of months on this!
My daughters will only take smartfish omega 3 and no other brand - I am having a terrible trying to locate it anywhere now - when I read that you gave your child sachets I just had to ask where you purchase them as I hope they will think its the same but just in new packaging!
My son has coromega in the orange flavour which he likes. he does not like the jaffa flavour. We have used it for about 1 year now and it does seem to get him more focussed on things. He is a VS child in the 99th percentile with overexcitabilities so that is why we tried different ones. he only likes coromega. I think it's a matter of trying all sorts and flavours so your child can see which one they prefer. I am sure they all help in much the same way.
Freedomnow
We get the Smartfish (or used to anyway) just from our local chemist! They were able to order it in for us. I don't know if the website I gave in an earlier email is any help?
Hi Nikky and Meg
If you want to contact me offline via my e-mail I may be able to help you with your queries. Nikky I market for a company which has omega 3 products which have a combined 500mg EPA /DHA . They have 120 scientists on staff so If you forward me your questions, I am happy to forward them on for you .
Meg I don't know of the availablity of the brands you mentioned but the brand I market is available in 44 countries. USA is one of those and it and it has been listed as a Best Choice product by the Enviromental Defense Agency there.
Hi, Just checking out information on efalex etc. I have just started my 5yo on efalex hoping that it will help her calm down and stay focused at school. She is so energetic...she wears most people out just watching her. Her teacher states that she is quite intelligent, but socially is immature due to the fact that she cant focus like the other children in the class do. She runs at everything like a bull at a gate. She is a very keen learner and if her energy could be channelled correctly she might be ok. She is so highly excitable, is easily distracted, has the gift of the gab, is not afraid to have a go, if she gets knocked down (physically or mentally) she just gets back up again and continues, doesnt hold a grudge, is a beautiful child....but at the same time drives me nuts. I am hoping that this product will calm her down enough to focus, without loosing her spark and her personality. She constantly fiddles at school during group time. Today she tied her shoe laces together just for something to do, when asked why she did it she said "I dont know" and skipped off...it took her teacher hours to untie the many knots. Other teachers have started to notice her...and are asking what on earth is going on with her. Any info you can give me will be well received....any alternative product suggestions will also be well received.
thanks Lisa
I'm not going to be very popular for saying this but as well as fish oil and multivitamins and a low colour diet, my son also has Ritalin. We felt we urgently needed to do something as he couldn't concentrate on anything long enough to learn anything. He was developing frightening tendancies to give up and therefore self confidence problems and a general "opting out". We were afraid that he was developing life crippling habits.
It's working well at the moment but it's not the whole answer. He needs to be constantly challenged intellectually and attitudinally.
I wanted to say this because there is so much negative Ritalin sentiment that those of us for whom it is helping, need to say so.
What an incredible thread! We have done for our three gifted, aspie, add, adhd, learning disordered type kids (hate the labels - but it makes it easier to understand) - all things mentioned (pretty much). No gluten or dairy, nordic cod liver oils and flaxseed are where we have ended up. We have a calmer household all round, but for all of that we too are finally going to try concerta (ritalin) for our 11 year old daughter. We have tried everything within our power to help her from masses of physical activity, monitored play dates (too tired and impulsive if she has too much after school social stuff), modifying her room so it is simpler and more easy for her to manage, organising a clothes 'uniform' so she can manage her own clothes (too many choices and she doesn't know where to start). She is impulsive in class, not giving herself enough time to think about the correct answer before blurting it out. And then she mentally beats herself up for getting it wrong (perfectionist that she is). We are hoping we can give her just a little bit of a break from the 'busyness' (as she calls it) in her head. Even she is starting to ask how she can make it 'quieter' in her own head. Breaks my heart...
I would like to think that we have done everything possible for her - and if the un PC concerta is the answer - then I will give it a try. I will get back to you on whether it really does help her or not.
PS My kids will all take the 'Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil with vitamin D' - lemon flavour. Still amazed that they will tho!
My daughter and I have both had Ritalin in the past ... for my daughter the side effects (particularly when wearing off) were a hell of a lot worse than the difficulties she had in the first place (Potentially life threatening actually) so it may pay to watch out for that .... when it started wearing off she would totally lose the plot and I do mean totally.
I found that it did a wonderful job of DUMBING ME DOWN without my needing to try and make myself dumb down .... it basically blocked out huge amounts of processing as well as slowing the brain down so it definitely CAN work if that is what someone wants to achieve.
I actually experiemented a fair bit with what I could and couldnt do .... what I eventually learnt was that if one pushes ones brain to return to normal intellectual function while taking Ritalin - it over-rides ALL the inhibitive effects so, you cannot have it both ways.
However, that is unlikely to be an issue in the education system we have. (Cynical? Me? Nah!)
Another thing I found quite interesting was that pushing myself intellectually actually had a far more satisfactory and longer lasting impact on my general ability to function .... if I am TRULY intellectually stimulated then any "adhd" type symptoms just disappear (no need for any "management" whatsoever).
What has astounded me is the extent to which I NEED to be engaged in complex problem solving in order to achieve over all effective functioning ... it makes it easy to see and understand just how poorly the needs of the gifted are accommodated and just how that can affect the basic functions.
If we TRULY valued these gifts - then, on a societal scale we would be bending over backwards to ensure we met the needs of the gifted population - if that means having 6 or 8 year old "specialising" in sociology or physics or whatever works for them 8 or 10 or 15 hours a day .... then that is what we would do.
If that is how your brain works, if that is how it is designed then the stress of trying to force it to work "normally" is absolutely incredible.
For those that it works for - provided they are happy with the outcome and the side affects arent a significant issue , I think Ritalin is a far kinder option.
My son has been using Nordic Naturals, but I've noticed little effect so thought I'd research alternatives. After reading this string, I have a number of options to research, but one consistent characteristic I've seen in the symptoms of children described here is hyperactive or high energy kids, and thus the need to tame the energy.
My son is 5, not hyperactive at all, just an inability to concentrate or focus. He constantly requires re-direction on task (at school and home), oftentimes just easily distracted or frequently goes off into gazes.
I will most likely avoid products discussed here that seem to calm too much, because that effect will have a negative impact for him. Caromega sounds great except for that over-calming effect. Any feedback would be great.
My son is not hyperactive, though a bit ADD (not a formal diagnosis) and is Aspergers. We used coromega for years and are now using nordic naturals as it seems a little less processed. I have not noticed significant difference in them. I just found I could get nordic naturals cheaper from overseas.
We used Coromega with our 5yo. He was both jiggly AND unable to concentrate. Also had big meltdowns when the slightest thing went wrong. He still has high energy (we manage this through lots of activity out of school) but can now maintain focus. Best for me was the reduction in meltdowns and tantrums - he is a much calmer and more agreeable person. I noticed an improvement within a week or so and also notice him regressing if we finish a packet and he isn't using it for a few days.
We eventually gave up on the tablets/ capsules as Daughter #1 didn't like them at all. What we now do (without any complaints) is to do it through food. 1 decent red salmon sammie contains the whole EPA/DHA dose. So she has red salmon twice a week, and tuna and white fish in the week too. That with a healthy diet with loads of fruit and veges seems to have really helped. And I certainly notice when she hasn't eaten enough fish!
We found the cost of the capsules ($47 for 60) more than buying food! Good luck everybody.
Hi - just to put my two cents worth in about fish oils. We have had incredible differences in concentration and calmer behaviour in our two children, but particularly our daughter, since using a Good Health brand which used to be called Childrens ADD Neurological Support but has just been rebranded as Children's omega+ Neurological support and is an oil that has a peppermint flavour. It also comes in capsules.
The reason we use this one is at one stage the supplier ran out of stock for several months and we tried many of the other fish oils including Efalex and Eye-Q but we found that none of them were as effective as the Good Health brand. The blow ups every five minutes reduced dramatically and the moods improved, as did the concentration.
Hi My son ( 7yrs old) is having issues at school with is inability to concentrate when required he is above average in maths but struggles with writting and reading . This causes frustration which he channels into movement and i have been told to put him on the EFalex to help him calm down and concentrate when required
Hi My son ( 7yrs old) is having issues at school with is inability to concentrate when required he is above average in maths but struggles with writting and reading . This causes frustration which he channels into movement and i have been told to put him on the EFalex to help him calm down and concentrate when required
I swear by it! Both my children have been on it since birth via me and once I stopped feeding, they were on it. We use nordic naturals for kids and I get it from the states a little cheaper. I think it makes a huge difference for brain development and there is quite a bit of research out there
Our children ( & 13 are both dyslexic and one is on the autistic spectrum.
We have tried several things which work while you are using them and wear off if we cannot afford to continue.
Firstly, Magnesium - practitioners powder which we purchased from the holistic medical centre - supports the nervous system and helps with anxiety.
We have tried several omega 3 brands, but found that a combination of flaxseed oil and evening primrose was superior to fish oils.
Secondly - we have done some research and there are some journals floating around at the moment that suggest that children with autism have higher levels of ammonia in their blood and that the best way to combat this is to eat only raw milk products. So we go to a farm in drury and purchase 5 litres of raw milk and make our own yoghurt, cottage cheese, butter and our son drinks the mile (when he would reluctantly drink the store bought stuff)
We have had some success with the kids - I know however, that these are only support measures.. then there are the school environments, social issues and hygiene issues to take care of, but I find that it makes it all easier for our son to cope with on the "average" level.
Hi my son has been diagnosed with ADHD, but is not at all hyperactive.I(I think he has developmental dyspraxia) the main problem is his lack of concentration/focus in the classroom. Would Efalex help this? I have a prescription for Ritalin in my drawer but I cannot bring myself to give this to my son as i would not take it myself. thanks for any help
We use COROMEGA orange Omega 3 as it is the only brand I could get my son to take.
He has developmental dypraxia and is gifted and personally I have always thought he had ADHD slightly due to his impulsivity, but he has not been assessed with ADHD.
Have you tried a WOBBLE CUSHION at school? This was reccomended to us by our OT and is basically a rubber cushion with bumps on it and when they sit on it it is supposed to stop them moving around. Our son used it at the desk and on the mat and in assembly etc. You can buy them on line, I am not sure where, but if you search wobble cushion and occupational therapy products etc it should come up
It's true that these medications don't work for everyone, but we decided that nothing ventured was nothing gained. If it didn't work, we'd stop using it! Simple as that. Rubifen and Ritalin were alright, but we're using Concerta now, which is better. The Doctor says that it works better for the attention problem more so than the hyperactivity. He has days during the school holidays off the medication and I can't wait to have him start again. Piano practice without medication? - disastrous!
Hi Barbara my daughter has autism and is non verbal done some research and found that omega 3 may help.My daughter is fussy with what she eats and drinks bought omega 3 liquid form which i knew she wouldnt take off the spoon so mixed in her milk after 1 sip she knew it tasted different and wouldnt drink it.The chewy form are also out of the question as my daughter wouldnt even try is there one which i could crush to mix in her milk my daughter is 5
He needs a " wobble cushion". My school principal reccomended it for my son ( Dyspraxia) and aparently it was great. They sit on the cushion and it sort of moves them around but they stay in one place. Order it through school or on the sensory processing websites. Costs about $30 - $40.
Hi ... Just started using efalex150 ML liquid for my son who is 2 years old ... We dont know exactly his problem but his is late in his speech development and is hyper. So the doctor recommended efalex150 ml for him. The problem that didn't accept to take it via spoon or with the milk as he noticed the difference. Any suggestion how to givecit for him ? Can we blend it with juice or anything else ?
We use flax seed oil which is also a good source of omega fatty acids, without the fishyness (being vegetable based). It's is a nice tasting oil so we have no problems feeding it to our kids as a salad dressing or drizzled over a meal.
Waihi Bush seems to make the best stuff from my limited testing, but there are other brands too. You must keep it refrigerated, out of sunlight, and sealed in the bottle or the oil will go rancid.
Check out Mila -and it is a whole raw food that is packed full of omega 3s along with MANU other nutrients. There was a recenr small clinical trial with children with ADHD and autism. All that completed the study demonstrated greatly improved behaviors and some even came off the autism spectrum. Check out the physician interview at lifemaxlifechangingseed.blogapot.com. there is also recipes and other testimonials you can check out.
I did make a separate topic but for those of you using Omega 3 etc. check out www.healthpost.co.nz their products are very well priced and service is exceptional. I can order in the afternoon and the product will arrive the next day.
A few years ago, I did a lot of research about the 'best' omega supplement for kids and it led me to Minami children's formulas. MorDHA mini and MorEPA junior were shown in an independent test featured on TV in the UK, to have exceptionally strict testing for and unidentifiable levels of toxins, heavy metals etc. They're not avail in NZ but I have them sent over from the UK through friends or a website called fermain. I noticed recently that there has been a paper published in the scientific journal 'acta paediatrica' about the good results on ADHD type symptoms for children taking another of their products - PlusEPA, which you can order through iherb in the States.
Apparently..."The study involved 92 children with ‘combined type 3 ADHD’ (i.e. children with both hyperactive/ impulsive behaviour and attention problems), some of whom also suffered from typical additional disorders such as dyspraxia, nervous ticks, anxiety and oppositional or defiant behaviour (aggression, ignoring signals of punishment, disobedience). This prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was executed in eight Swedish research centres. Half the children were given 500 mg of pure ethyl-EPA each day; the other group received a placebo. After five weeks teachers already observed remarkable improvements in the behaviour of the children who were taking the EPA supplement, in particular with regard to attention problems. After ten weeks improvements were still being recorded day in day out in the children who were taking pure ethyl-EPA. After the ten week period the response had reached its maximum level, but the improvement was maintained if the EPA supplement continued to be taken. A notable detail is that the teachers were the ones to detect the change for the better in the children. The medical establishment considers this more objective than findings reported by parents.
More info on the trial (on the company's own website) can be found here:
I just bought Efamol Efalex for my 13yr old and it says to take 8 capsules just wondering how did you get your child to take 8 capsules a day?My son has concentration issues and focusing.Hes had this problem since he's been little.
