Can you talk to me about fish oil?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Ok, so ds has been diagnosed with alot of issues as those of you on the special needs board are well aware of. Now my question about fish oil is- is there good fish oil brands, bad fish oil brands? better?? I bought Natures Bounty brand because they were buy 1 get 1 free. I got the lowest mg's but that is still 1,000 mg. How do you dose a 6 1/2 year old? Can you od? Should he be taking 1 softgel a day. He obviously can't swollow this horse pill so I am going to squeeze it out into something. Should I do haft a softgel 2x a day??? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[TheTwinsMom1]

Our favorite is Omegabrite, which has a kids version. Also Nortic Naturals is another good one and they have concentrated drops you can eat or put in foods for kids

 

Forgot to add, We like Omegabrite because it has had research done on it and is recommended by doctors.

Edited April 6, 2011 by TheTwinsMom1
add info.

[flobee76]

I HIGHLY recommend Fermented Cod Liver oil by Green Pastures. Excellent!! Here's an article for the "why fermented?" question. Our kids take 1/2 tsp. daily.

 

http://www.cheeseslave.com/2008/10/10/why-fermented-cod-liver-oil/

[MeganW]

There are definitely good brands and not-so-good brands. Fish oil is one of those things that is VERY important to get a good one to avoid getting mercury and pollutants.

 

The two names that I kept hearing back when I was researching this (2 years ago) as the gold standard were Nordic Naturals and Coromega. We tried the Coromega first, but it didn't make a difference. Then we went to 1tsp of NN ProEFA daily, and in two of my kids, the difference was almost immediate and was totally unbelievable. No difference in the other two, but they didn't have quite the issues to start with.

 

Be aware that fish oil is very unstable in the liquid form, and will go rancid quickly. Keep it in the fridge after opening if you get the liquid.

[Susan C.]

Carlson's has a kid's version as well. Get a small size and refrigerate, and if he gets nauseated after taking it, toss it. I try to use mine up in a month, much longer, it's not good.

[MeganW]

I got the lowest mg's but that is still 1,000 mg. How do you dose a 6 1/2 year old? Can you od? Should he be taking 1 softgel a day. He obviously can't swollow this horse pill so I am going to squeeze it out into something. Should I do haft a softgel 2x a day??? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

 

I think the 1000mg is referring to the size of the softgel, not the amount of EPA/DHA.

　

Use the following ISSFAL recommendations to determine your child’s daily need for EPA and DHA. This is suggested for children who are healthy and do not have any major health issues.

Infants 1 to 18 months 32 mg of EPA+DHA/lb of weight

Children 1.5 to 15 years 15 mg of EPA+DHA/lb of weight

Older Teens 15 to 20 years 500 mg EPA+DHA with a min of 220 mg of each

 

Those taking it for more specific reasons take more.

http://apraxiastory.wordpress.com/top-3-must-dos/fish-oils/brand-and-dosage-information/

Edited April 6, 2011 by MeganW

[Miss Peregrine]

Ok, so ds has been diagnosed with alot of issues as those of you on the special needs board are well aware of. Now my question about fish oil is- is there good fish oil brands, bad fish oil brands? better?? I bought Natures Bounty brand because they were buy 1 get 1 free. I got the lowest mg's but that is still 1,000 mg. How do you dose a 6 1/2 year old? Can you od? Should he be taking 1 softgel a day. He obviously can't swollow this horse pill so I am going to squeeze it out into something. Should I do haft a softgel 2x a day??? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Too much can cause easier bruising. I have observed that myself with my toddler. We use either Nordic Naturals or Carlson's. We have also tried the Dr. Sears brand for kids and liked it.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I have not opened these ones I bought- but I think I am going to return them and look at the health food store. They do say purified to eliminate mercury, PCBs and Dioxins but when I look at the DHA and EPA amounts it has a * by them. Then it says total Omega-3 fatty acids 600mg. Maybe I will take these in and compare them to others and see if I can find the brands that have been recommended here. We live in a very rural area so choice is limited but I will see what I can find. Thanks :001_smile:

[wapiti]

My ds8 takes Carlson's liquid, orange flavor, 1 tsp/day (adult dose). The child dose of Nordic Naturals didn't help, but the adult dose of Carlson's has gotten his platelets back into the normal range - huge difference :). I can't necessarily say that it helped anything else, but we continue it.

[Susan C.]

Another thing I just remembered: With fish oil, you have to take Vitamin E. With cod liver oil, you don't. I use Carlson's E-gems elite. Not all vitamin E is the same.

[MeganW]

I have not opened these ones I bought- but I think I am going to return them and look at the health food store. They do say purified to eliminate mercury, PCBs and Dioxins but when I look at the DHA and EPA amounts it has a * by them. Then it says total Omega-3 fatty acids 600mg. Maybe I will take these in and compare them to others and see if I can find the brands that have been recommended here. We live in a very rural area so choice is limited but I will see what I can find. Thanks :001_smile:

 

 

NN ProEFA is the line they sell to professionals. You can buy it, though, you just have to do it over the internet. I get it through Amazon.com.

[MeganW]

I have not opened these ones I bought- but I think I am going to return them and look at the health food store. They do say purified to eliminate mercury, PCBs and Dioxins but when I look at the DHA and EPA amounts it has a * by them. Then it says total Omega-3 fatty acids 600mg. Maybe I will take these in and compare them to others and see if I can find the brands that have been recommended here. We live in a very rural area so choice is limited but I will see what I can find. Thanks :001_smile:

 

 

 

Depends why you are taking them. Ideally, your Omega 3 & Omega 6 consumptions would be equal. Most Americans, though, consume way more Omega 6, b/c we eat so much fast food, processed food, oils, etc. So most Americans would benefit from some Omega 3 to balance it out.

 

I am giving my kids the DHA/EPA for their brains. My kiddos with apraxia & the processing problem have benefited hugely. The other two, I can't really tell a difference but as it can't hurt as long as it is a quality product in appropriate doses, they have to take it anyway! :)

[kimnc]

We buy the Nordic Naturals Childrens' DHA, I have noticed a difference in my kid's ability to focus when we are consistent about it. It comes in liquid or chewable (softgel) forms, and in various flavors.

[Alicia64]

We buy the Nordic Naturals Childrens' DHA, I have noticed a difference in my kid's ability to focus when we are consistent about it. It comes in liquid or chewable (softgel) forms, and in various flavors.

 

Where would I buy Nordic Naturals for kids?

 

Are they the same as the big, giant pills that the adults take? I can't imagine my kids getting those down.

 

I once tried the fish oil chewables from Costco and they were AWFUL. Fishy and yucky. I took them back.

 

So, I guess I have two questions: 1) where to buy Nordic for kids and 2) what form do they come in?

 

Thanks!

 

Alley

[Mergath]

We use Barlean's orange-flavored liquid fish oil for dd. We've given her 1/2 tsp a day since she was around eighteen months old, and the results were amazing. When we started, she couldn't walk and had two words, total. Within a week, she was up to ten words, and a month later, she was walking and using, oh, it was something like thirty or forty words. I have it written down somewhere, but I can't remember the exact numbers off the top of my head.

[justamouse]

The reason fish oil is awesome is because fish eat algae. The stuff you want is *really* in the algae.

 

There's a product coming out, gummies, with the algae extract. They don't taste great, but they're better than fish oil. ;) I'm sure they'll show up in Walgreens soon.

 

Until then, Nordic Naturals is good, get it in the cooler section of your health food store. Cromega is another one that is good, too, but harder because the dosages come in packets-like ketchup. But it tastes great.

[MeganW]

Where would I buy Nordic Naturals for kids?

 

Are they the same as the big, giant pills that the adults take? I can't imagine my kids getting those down.

 

I once tried the fish oil chewables from Costco and they were AWFUL. Fishy and yucky. I took them back.

 

So, I guess I have two questions: 1) where to buy Nordic for kids and 2) what form do they come in?

 

Thanks!

 

Alley

 

 

NN comes in either softgels or liquid. If your kid can do softgels, do it, as you don't have to deal with refrigeration and taste. My kids do the liquid. Two love it, one endures it, one complains incessantly. It's a lemon-flavored liquid. I buy it from Amazon.com.

 

There are lots of Nordic Natural products - ProEFA is the one used for kiddos with some speech issues. It also really really helped my kid with some processing problems. She had delays - like I would say "how as your day?" and 5 minutes later she would respond. When she has the NN, she responds basically normally. It really is remarkable how much of a difference it has made - not just in her speech, but also in her self-confidence due to how people treat her. When someone asks a question, and a kid just gives a blank look, they don't get the same response as the kid who gives an answer, you know? It has also really helped her interactions with other kids, as you can imagine. It just seems to have really made her brain/thinking/answering faster somehow if that makes any sense. Honestly, she seems faster in general - faster to get her chores done, faster to get dressed, faster to memorize things, etc.

Edited April 7, 2011 by MeganW

[Miss Peregrine]

Where would I buy Nordic Naturals for kids?

 

Are they the same as the big, giant pills that the adults take? I can't imagine my kids getting those down.

 

I once tried the fish oil chewables from Costco and they were AWFUL. Fishy and yucky. I took them back.

 

So, I guess I have two questions: 1) where to buy Nordic for kids and 2) what form do they come in?

 

Thanks!

 

Alley

 

The kids pills are little round balls. We buy all our supplements at iherb.com.

[MeganW]

The kids pills are little round balls. We buy all our supplements at iherb.com.

 

The NN Jr is NOT the same mix as ProEFA. If you are looking for brain results, you need the ProEFA. If you are looking for general nutrition, the Jr is what you want. I am not sure what shape the ProEFA softgels are. I *think* they are oblong - people talk about piercing them and squeezing the liquid out onto a spoon.

[wapiti]

Users of the ProEFA - do you use the "adult" ProEFA, or "ProEFA Junior"? Does anyone happen to know why this ProEFA is superior for brain stuff (like apraxia) than regular fish oil (my ds uses Carlson's, adult dose)?

 

We've long used fish oil yet we've never seen beneficial brain effects. My three oldest were late talkers, one is still in speech therapy, etc., and in the early years there was talk of apraxia, etc. On the other hand, I hesitate to change what's working for ds's platelet levels (we switched to the adult dose about 6 months ago and his levels dramatically rose from around 70,000 to 250,000, the first time they've been normal in the last three years).

 

A quick google turned up someone's blog post or article that mentioned that it improved behavior in their apraxic child. My dd is the one whose speech problem was supposedly related to apraxia when she was little, and now we're hs-ing and our primary issue is behavior - willingness to obey and do the work. If this ProEFA could actually affect behavior, that would be too much to hope for... It just so happens she's at her one-day-per-week school today, so the little ones and I already have planned a trip to the vitamin store - I'll add this to the list.

 

I don't mean to hijack, but if anyone has further comments on this ProEFA, I'm all ears. This is why I spend so much time reading these boards - I never know what little life-changing tip I might run across...

[MeganW]

Users of the ProEFA - do you use the "adult" ProEFA, or "ProEFA Junior"? Does anyone happen to know why this ProEFA is superior for brain stuff (like apraxia) than regular fish oil (my ds uses Carlson's, adult dose)?

 

NOT the Junior - you want the regular adult stuff. It has something to do with the specific ratios. It isn't THAT different (I've compared the bottles), but for some reason the regular ProEFA is the one that people really see results with. I tried Coromega previously, and did not see any difference. Some people have had luck with that though.

 

 

 

 

A quick google turned up someone's blog post or article that mentioned that it improved behavior in their apraxic child. My dd is the one whose speech problem was supposedly related to apraxia when she was little, and now we're hs-ing and our primary issue is behavior - willingness to obey and do the work. If this ProEFA could actually affect behavior, that would be too much to hope for... It just so happens she's at her one-day-per-week school today, so the little ones and I already have planned a trip to the vitamin store - I'll add this to the list.

 

 

I saw HUGE HUGE HUGE improvements in C's behavior. Unbelievably huge. I am not sure how much was the apraxia getting better --> she wasn't as frustrated, vs how much is truly just improvements in behavior itself. We had this child evaluated for autism. She did NOT qualify even though she had all the behaviors - they thought her issues were more neurological (processing). She is only now old enough to test for those processing issues, but the improvements from the NN are so incredible that I really am not feeling pressed to hurry up and get a diagnosis anymore.

 

You probably will NOT be able to find NN ProEFA in your local vitamin store. It is distributed to professionals to sell. You can buy it over the internet, though, through Amazon.

[nicholas82]

We just started on fish oil recently, and I buy the Carlson brand at Vitaminshoppe.com and it's around $21 for a 16.9 fl oz bottle. I also ordered Carlson orange flavored fish oil that can be chewed. I don't have my boys chew it because they can swallow. I've called Carlson, and they helped me dose it, the liquid one too. The great thing about this brand is that there's no nasty after taste, and you don't burp up a fishy taste at all.;)

Good luck.

Rachel

[Alicia64]

If this has already been brought up, I apologize, but what do you guys think of taking fish oil now that the ocean been seriously contaminated?

 

How do we know where the fish oil is coming from?

 

Alley

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

We use Barlean's orange-flavored liquid fish oil for dd. We've given her 1/2 tsp a day since she was around eighteen months old, and the results were amazing. When we started, she couldn't walk and had two words, total. Within a week, she was up to ten words, and a month later, she was walking and using, oh, it was something like thirty or forty words. I have it written down somewhere, but I can't remember the exact numbers off the top of my head.

 

 

Thats actually what the health food store recommended (I was there for almost an hour talking to her.) Its call Barleans Emulsified Norwegian fish oil-- orange flavored (that ds thinks is :ack2: but still takes it like a champ :001_smile:)

[MeganW]

If this has already been brought up, I apologize, but what do you guys think of taking fish oil now that the ocean been seriously contaminated?

 

How do we know where the fish oil is coming from?

 

Alley

 

Nordic Naturals has said repeatedly that purity, testing, etc. are the cornerstone of their business. I trust them. (Honestly, I really don't feel like I have a ton of choice. My kids NEED this product. So I HAVE to trust them.)

[wapiti]

NOT the Junior - you want the regular adult stuff. It has something to do with the specific ratios. It isn't THAT different (I've compared the bottles), but for some reason the regular ProEFA is the one that people really see results with. I tried Coromega previously, and did not see any difference. Some people have had luck with that though.

 

I saw HUGE HUGE HUGE improvements in C's behavior. Unbelievably huge. I am not sure how much was the apraxia getting better --> she wasn't as frustrated, vs how much is truly just improvements in behavior itself. We had this child evaluated for autism. She did NOT qualify even though she had all the behaviors - they thought her issues were more neurological (processing). She is only now old enough to test for those processing issues, but the improvements from the NN are so incredible that I really am not feeling pressed to hurry up and get a diagnosis anymore.

 

You probably will NOT be able to find NN ProEFA in your local vitamin store. It is distributed to professionals to sell. You can buy it over the internet, though, through Amazon.

 

 

Thank you!!!!! I really appreciate this information. I feel this is worth a shot for us. Yes, I could not find it at the vitamin store (they were disturbed that they hadn't heard of it, LOL, because they carry quite a large line of NN). I will be ordering on-line - keeping fingers crossed that I can get dd to try it - at the moment, the only fish oil she is willing to take is NN's DHA (strawberry capsules, adult strength, 500 mg that she chews and sucks the stuff out of ;)). I have a bunch of Coromega, but only one of my kids likes it. Apparently everyone has to have their own special kind of fish oil :tongue_smilie:. I have a variety of other kinds that they won't eat, so I use it myself. The ProEFA will be just one more kind...

 

How long did it take before you started to see the results?

 

Thanks again :)

[merry gardens]

My kids LOVE Coromega squeeze packs! Seriously, they love it. If I forget to pass them out my five year old reminds me! My one-year-old even wants it. We've tried both orange and lemon-lime--and they're both good.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Coromega-Omega-3-Supplement-Squeeze-90-Count/dp/B000FFQATA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302302232&sr=8-1

 

I also recommend the book The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD.

[mommymilkies]

Too much can cause easier bruising. I have observed that myself with my toddler. We use either Nordic Naturals or Carlson's. We have also tried the Dr. Sears brand for kids and liked it.

 

Yes! Too much A & D together does cause bruising. This is why I stopped taking my last CLO I had. I have Carlson's now and it hasn't been a problem with my 1000mg D gummies.

[Miss Peregrine]

The NN Jr is NOT the same mix as ProEFA. If you are looking for brain results, you need the ProEFA. If you are looking for general nutrition, the Jr is what you want. I am not sure what shape the ProEFA softgels are. I *think* they are oblong - people talk about piercing them and squeezing the liquid out onto a spoon.

 

 

Oooh thanks, I did not know that.

[melmichigan]

We recently started my DD on Plus EPA (EPA only) and a mulitvitamin following a doctor recommendation. Can someone explain the differences in effect between the DHA, EPA and other Omega 3 fatty acids? How big of a role does the ratio or type have in treating different disorders?

[wapiti]

NOT the Junior - you want the regular adult stuff. It has something to do with the specific ratios. It isn't THAT different (I've compared the bottles), but for some reason the regular ProEFA is the one that people really see results with. I tried Coromega previously, and did not see any difference. Some people have had luck with that though.

 

I saw HUGE HUGE HUGE improvements in C's behavior. Unbelievably huge. I am not sure how much was the apraxia getting better --> she wasn't as frustrated, vs how much is truly just improvements in behavior itself. We had this child evaluated for autism. She did NOT qualify even though she had all the behaviors - they thought her issues were more neurological (processing). She is only now old enough to test for those processing issues, but the improvements from the NN are so incredible that I really am not feeling pressed to hurry up and get a diagnosis anymore.

 

You probably will NOT be able to find NN ProEFA in your local vitamin store. It is distributed to professionals to sell. You can buy it over the internet, though, through Amazon.

 

Unless I'm missing something, I believe that ProEFA is identical to Complete Omega 3-6-9 (and ProEFA Junior is identical to Omega 3-6-9 Junior). I believe the Pro- is for professionals and the 3-6-9 is the retail version. Of course I already ordered the ProEFA from Amazon. I know my vitamin store carries the 3-6-9 - I might try that if I can get over there tomorrow. I always wondered what the point of the 3-6-9 was that I kept seeing in stores.

 

ETA: I'll have a heck of a time getting her to try the lemon 3-6-9. But she already eats the strawberry DHA without complaint, so my plan is to try the strawberry Ultimate Omega (which has only the EPA and DHA but in similar proportions to the 369) and then add the borage oil/GLA, if I can find an appropriate flavor/form at the store. She can swallow pills without a problem but often objects to doing so - anything that tastes good will make it easier (on me).

 

 

We recently started my DD on Plus EPA (EPA only) and a mulitvitamin following a doctor recommendation. Can someone explain the differences in effect between the DHA, EPA and other Omega 3 fatty acids? How big of a role does the ratio or type have in treating different disorders?

 

I was poking around and found this one article that explains a few things, though it may or may not have any relevance for you. Of course, I have no idea about the accuracy of the information in it.

http://pursuitofresearch.org/2010/12/01/therapeutic-use-of-fish-oil-for-apraxia-autism-and-other-communication-impairments/

 

ETA: another article for you, Melissa http://www.dailystrength.org/c/ADHD_ADD/forum/5951064-omega-369-decreased-symptoms (who knows what I'll find now that I'm googling about 3-6-9)

Edited April 9, 2011 by wapiti