Fish Oil recommendation/Follow-up to Previous Special Diet Question

I just give my boys regular (adult?) fish oil capsules. My 4 year old loves them so much he begs for his "medicine" each day. He actually chews them up (disgusting, right?), while my 6 year old swallows it down with water.

OMG, are you me? I could have written this about my son when he was 4 1/2!

He's also got PDD-NOS and is now 14. After many, MANY years of struggling with his GI issues (he'd go 9 to 11 days between BMs - NINE to ELEVEN DAYS!), we finally took him to a naturopath who put him on a regiment of nutritional supplements (including Magnesium to get his bowels moving and Calcium so that his bones didn't use up all the Magnesium, leaving none for the bowels). He takes a BUNCH of other things to help him with brain function, attention, all sorts of stuff and it's all been really helpful to him. It was the best thing we ever did. She did for him what no medical doctor was able to do with their prescriptions and "he just needs more fiber" recommendations. He didn't immediately go everyday, but he did start to go every 3 or 4 days (which, I think we'll all agree is better than 9 to 11 days). So my #1 recommendation would be to go see a naturopath (in addition to the folks you're already seeing).

And since you're specifically asking about omegas, we use Nordic Naturals. I've also used, and been pleased by, Dr. Ohhira's probiotics. Dr. Mercola also makes a powder form probiotic for kids which is a bit sour, but some kids really like that. Luckily, my son just takes everything in pill form.

There is one other thing I've added to his diet recently, which is looking VERY promising. You have to understand, I'm all about trying natural and holistic things. Anything to help my son with his issues. So don't laugh at me when I tell you that since my son started taking a tablespoon of food grade diatomaceous earth every morning in his orange juice he's been having a DAILY bowel movement. It took a couple of weeks to kick in, but since that happened, he's gone every day. EVERY DAY. I'm sure you understand what a big deal this is. On two days, he went TWICE in one day. Do a google search on food grade diatomaceous earth. So far, I'm impressed (I take it too, as do my daughters, and none of us have suffered any allergies this season, my skin's cleared up and everyone has been VERY regular).

Anyway, I understand what you're going through. It sounds EXACTLY like what we were dealing with when my son was that age. Good luck -it CAN get better!

Hi A. - my son is 5.5 and at 3 was diagnosed 'on the fence' PDD-NOS; then a year later it was "well, he appears to not be presenting as PDD-NOS, but maybe ADHD and ODD". We got a script for Ritalin but decided to look into a comprehensive approach. We saw a dr. that did blood, urine, fecal tests; we started the GFCF diet and have supplements. The daycare director who twice kicked my son out of daycare in the past few months said she's seen an improvement; and I got comments from some family members - who didn't know we made any changes yet. I do not know if it's a combination of the supplements and the diet or if it's one or the other. I do have to say that the past two months we have not had to do anymore Miralax - which we'd been giving him for nearly a year (we had the same potty issues and I never thought he'd be trained).

So, to answer your question - we use Carlsons and we give him 2 tablespoons of it per day - just mix it in his juice or in his fruit.

You have to go to the healthfood store. I reccomend Nordic or Carlson. They are very pure and I think are great for any kid. Have you tried giving him purified coconut oil? I think your son would also benefit from some probiotics to help his bowels. Any brand is fine I think.

If he can swallow capsules, krill oil is wonderful – the EPA and DHA are more concentrated than fish oil, so you can take less, and there's none of the fishy burping that many people get from fish oil.

But if he must take it as an oil, Carlson's is the best, according to research my daughter and I have both done. And they make a lemon-flavored oil that my grandson loves – he doesn't think of it as "fish" oil, but rather his "lemon oil," and he looks forward to his daily dose.

We use Carlsons. Krill Oil is also excellent.

We use Nordic Naturals Pro-DHA strawberry capsules. They can either suck the oil out of the capsule and then throw the capsule away or chew and swallow the whole thing. They are really yummy and the kids eat them like candy. If chewing these doesn't work, you can get it as drops to mix in with juice.

Hi A..
My neighbors son uses fish oil - for similar issues.
If you can - go to thinkslim.org and log in and check out the product called trishield.
My kids take it too- for health - small dark red tablet- its Krill oil and pharmaceutical grade.
I'm in the OR today but will have email over memorial weekend. ____@____.com if you want to email me.
I'm a wellness coach with Herbalife.
We have a good probiotic too you can cut up or crush.
Gotta fly- my case is in progress.

About me: 51 yo perfusionist, wellness coach, mom with 10 yo fraternal twin girls.

B.

My daughter has Sensory Processing Disorder; we knew when she was 2 years old there were issues and didn't find out she had SPD until she was 5 years old. She was diagnosed with mild gluten intolerance at the age of 8 years old. My husband and I were diagnosed with gluten and soy intolerance as well as casein (cow) allergy.

Therefore, when she was 8 years old, our household went to no soy, no (cow) dairy, and no gluten. We also went with organic food, no processed/preserved food, grass-range and -fed animals, reverse-osmosis water. We take a multitude of supplements to help our bodies replenish in the areas in which we are depleted (minerals, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids). ALL of us take Enzymedica Digestive Enzymes before we eat to make sure we have enough enzymes to help digest our food (AND in case we inadvertently eat any gluten or casein).

The difference the change in food made in my daughter's behavior was absolutely, unbelievably phenomenal. Night and day. I only wish I'd known about her SPD and the no gluten/no casein/no soy method earlier instead of waiting until she was 8 to begin the protocol.

My daugher also suffered from horrible, horrible constipation when she was little and went through everything (pharma, OTC, even alternative) trying to get it resolved. She also would hold it in and suffered from encopresis. Now that we don't eat gluten, casein, or soy and she eats organic, she has better control over her bowels and rarely ever suffers from constipation. She also drinks a lot of water. When she does have an issue, she takes CALM, a natural magnesium component that naturally helps her go.

If you have an allergy to either of the proteins in cow's milk (casein or whey), it can cause your body to block up and have constipation. It can also cause issues with the ears, the nose, and the chest/lungs. I had issues with rhinitis, sinunitis, wheezing, pflegm, ear aches, chronic bronchitis/pneumonia, you name it, when I was growing up. I quit eating cow dairy, and viola! ALL of those symptoms went away. I was diagnosed in high school with "exercise-induced" asthma. Never took meds, though, until my daughter was 2 years old, when I went on Advair. In 2009, I quit eating cow dairy. In March 2010, I went off Advair and haven't had any issues or problems with asthma since. No coughing, no wheezing, no chest tightness, nothing. And no more pharma drugs.

Both my daughter and I take the same fish supplement, Metagenics DHA-EPA 720, which I get from my naturopath. It comes in a big soft gel capsule that's swallowed and can only be bought from a doctor/naturopath. My daughter takes Florajen3, a probiotic, an hour before she eats breakfast and again right before she goes to bed (probiotics should be taken at least an hour before eating so that the probiotics can be present in the gut before the food arrives, and if taken again before bed, the probiotics will help repair the gut while sleeping).

My daughter is now 12 years old and doing just fine.

I personally never buy supplements from the "health food" store.
For children, I would recommend Shaklee's Mighty Smart chewables.
As with any supplement, check the science behind the actual product not just general research before buying.

Coromega!!! It was developed by a grandfather for his young granddaughter. It comes in a packet that tastes good & does not have a fishy aftertaste nor do you burp up fish later. But best of all kids like it my sone even asks for it if I forget. It comes in orange & lemon lime flavors. You can get it at most whole foods stores, some pharmacies & online (iherb.com carries it at reasonable prices).