Autism , Omega 3 Deficiency and Fish Oil for Children

You are all familiar with autism and the agonizing symptoms faced by millions of children all across the world. The movements that have caught the attention of the media and health activists in recent times are those carried out by celebrities like Jenny McCarthy. Autism refers to a serious brain development disorder which ends up interfering and preventing many types of communications and social interactions. It also makes the process of traditional learning difficult.

In the earlier days, it was indeed difficult to get access to the right resources for managing the concerning signs and symptoms of autism—leading parents of autistic children to find out ways of helping their kids cope up with their problems and lead a “normal” life. If not successful, these lesser fortunate kids would grow up to live in adult care facilities or with the help of assisted living means. Fortunately, this condition is now curable and can be treated by those experienced in the field of autism and other related conditions.

The introduction of a large variety of research arenas related to the field of autism and similar developmental conditions, has led to various positive impacts on the health and lifestyle of those suffering from the same. One of the major discoveries is connected fish oil for children and the presence of omega 3 fatty acids in it. As per experts, kids fish oil is vital to their vital systems and goes a long way in supporting the brain functions and other organs of those diagnosed for autism. However, it is not really easy to get the right amounts of omega 3 required by the body through the daily diet (even a healthy one) alone, and has to be supplemented by kids fish oil and other natural products to avoid omega 3 deficiency.

While in the case of most people, the deficiency of omega 3 manifests itself as unnecessary levels of stress, a lack of focus or low concentration. In later life, it leads to coronary complications and other health conditions –thus making their life much more difficult than it would be otherwise. As a result, the addition of appropriate amounts of omega 3 in the regular diet of a child suffering from autism can work wonders on his/her behavior and practical life. It has been indicated that inclusion of this essential product leads to better cognition, improved sleep, hardier health and better eye contact too. As with all other pediatric treatments, it is not advisable to start including child dietary supplements without the recommendation of experts--regardless of whether they are autistic or not. It is important to ensure that the supplement is manufactured from salmon oil of the highest quality and contains no traces of heavy metals such as mercury.

Why are Fish Oil and Supplements for Kids Important?

Are you still wondering if kids fish oil and supplements are safe for your children? Given below are some important reasons that help you understand the role of omega-3 in making your adorable kids fit and healthy. Read on for a closer look.

Improvements in Brain Development

Fish oil for children is essential for their overall development. This product is known to bring about significant improvements in the development of your kid’s brain. According to expert recommendations, DHA omega-3 is considered as a prime nutrient necessary for the total development of the brain during childhood. The process begins when you are pregnant and your rapidly growing fetus depends on you for DHA omega-3 nourishment. Bringing about positive changes in focus, attention-span, cognitive performances and memory, DHA omega-3 is vital for your child's health too.

Alleviation of Inflammatory Conditions

Inflammatory conditions such as eczema and asthma are quite common in children and can lead to grave concerns. In most cases, these diseases are not signified by any tell-tale symptoms and are detected in much later stages. In general, it has been observed that there is a higher intake of omega-6 fatty acids in the diet of most people around the world, rather than omega-3 fatty acids. While the former leads to the promotion and aggravation of inflammation, the latter is largely instrumental in curbing it and providing gradual relief to the patients suffering from the same. By administering supplements containing fish oil, you are in fact alleviating the many concerns that can be caused by poor intake of omega-3s. Go ahead.

Behavioral Issue Management

As per health experts, a higher percentage of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of your child can go a long way in sorting out their behavioral issues. Conditions like ADHD, anxiety, depression, ADD as well as bipolar disorder are often caused due to a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids. Regular intake of fish oil and various other supplements containing this vital nutrient can reduce the concerns associated with the onset of these problems, in future.

A Safer alternative to Feeding Fish

Instead of feeding fish to your kids on a regular basis, you may like to make the task simpler by giving them healthy products containing the valuable omega-3. The nutrition supplied by them is comparable to having multiple helpings of fish on a weekly basis. Serving fish regularly is unsafe too. Ocean life often nurtures traces of contaminants such as dioxins, arsenic, mercury, PCBs, lead and various other heavy metals. Higher consumption of seafood and fish leads to greater levels of contaminants reaching the digestive system of your child—so, you need to act accordingly.

Molecularly distilled and purified, high quality supplements from reputed manufacturers are good for your kids and aid their overall development –in many more ways than one!

Should you give your Kids Omega 3 Fish Oil?

Administering specially formulated kids fish oil to your precious angels is the right thing to do; but then there are certain factors that you need to consider before choosing a brand that is both reliable and effective. Most fish oil for children (stacked on the racks of pharmacies and health stores globally), fail to have the right amounts of essential omega 3 fatty acids. They do not provide the right nutritional benefits and may also contain some toxic impurities such as PCBs, Mercury or heavy metals released from contaminated fish—beware!

Dangers of Administering Toxins

These toxins prove to be very harmful and potentially dangerous for kids, as their immune systems are weak and not as conditioned/ strong as those in adults. So, you need to be more careful about the products you administer–as the impurities or adulterated ingredients contained in them may lead to a negation of benefits derived from these supplements. Apart from weakening the nervous system and making the normal bodily functions erratic, these toxins can also lead to major health concerns –sometimes fatal.

How to Avoid Toxins in Kids Fish Oil

To avoid consumption of these toxins, you should ensure purchase of supplements that are totally purified by the process of molecular distillation—an act which involves laboratory based procedures for the removal of toxins and other harmful substances from the oil. You should also check for the Certificate of Analysis (COA), which guarantees that the company selling the product has invested its resources in molecular distillation and other essential tests.

Levels of DHA

Before going ahead with the act of introducing your child to fish oil, you must also have complete awareness about the quantity of DHA that the supplement contains. The right levels of DHA lead to positive benefits for your child's development. According to experts, administration of DHA present in fish oil leads to improvements in learning abilities, memory, concentration and IQ alike. It also goes a long way in bringing about enhancements in the lives of children suffering from ADHD, Autism, ADD and so forth. High levels of DHA also help in improving your kid’s eye sight and boosting his/her overall immune system.

Way Forward…

For best results, experts recommend a daily intake of fish oil that contains a minimum of 250mg of DHA per capsule of 1000 mg oil. The right ration of DHA to EPA being 2:1, you need to look for brands that offer the same. If your kids find it difficult to swallow the capsule, then you may consider opening the case and adding the fish oil to their favorite cereals or meals. However, avoid giving fish oil supplements that boast of enteric coatings or artificial additives—they are usually unhealthy for consumption by humans.

All the best!

Fish Oil for Children—the Big Catch

Thomas was hyperactive and very frivolous with his chapters. At 12 years of age, his parents started noticing a slight transformation in him.He started becoming more organized than before--the reason being attributed to a regular dosage of fish oil for children. There were differences in his keenness to perform, overall attention span and the ways in which he behaved with his peers and teachers alike. Going a long way in alleviating the signs of autism, dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); the role of kids fish oil is quite promising.

Is fish oil the right source for Omega -3?

Oil fish like sardines, mackerel or salmon are high in natural Omega-3 fatty acid—a vital ingredient for brain functions and overall cardiac health. In today’s time, the diet presented to your child boasts of paltry levels of oily fish, thus leading to a deficiency of omega-3. Reputed brands are now promoting the goodness of omega-3s in their kids fish oil products. Whether it is about delivering burned omega-3 in specially manufactured sliced bread or yoghurt or offering it in the form of strawberry-flavored, chewy, fish oil supplements—inclusion of fish oil in your child’s diet is important.

How do I believe that Omega -3 will help my/my child’s mental and physical state?

Well, here is what we can tell from research studies conducted by scientists. They have managed to establish that healthy adults with lower levels of omega-3 are more likely to be pessimistic, depressed and impulsive than their counterparts. Presence of adequate levels of Omega-3 also helps patients with a history of borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia. However, when it comes to a child’s academic performance and behavior, the evidences are slightly mixed. It’s true that omega-3 supplements are helpful for children with certain developmental disorders like ADHD, autism, or dyspraxia. However, parents stuffing their healthy kids with fish oil pills at the breakfast table should be aware that behavioral problems with kids are generally multi-factorial in nature and cannot be treated by fish oil alone.

So, what is the way forward?

Fish oil supplementation for kids is a raging topic among parents and health care advisors alike. Expensive and often beyond the reach of some families, fish oil pills and add-ons are known to be good for your child’s heart too. So, if you are not being able to serve at least two portions of fish to your child every week (one of which should definitely be oily: tuna (fresh), trout, sardines, salmon, mackerel and herring); you may rely on cod liver/fish oil for their omega-3 intake for the required nutritional worth.

In a nutshell, fish oil is an important part of your child’s diet—in its natural form or through supplements and pills. Are you ready for the big catch—in the form of fish oil for your kid?