Food supplements might produce radical improvements in the educational ability of children with learning difficulties, research shows. Children whose lives are blighted by such neuro-developmental disorders as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autistic spectrum disorder and attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could gain by taking a daily supplement of fish (omega 3) and plant (omega 6) extracts.
Dr Madelaine Portwood, an educational psychologist at Durham County Council, based her research on the belief that a lack of fatty acids can cause learning difficulties. The study is being carried out in 13 primary schools in County Durham and involves 120 children with learning difficulties. Each child was given fatty acid supplements containing fish and plant extracts over a 12 week period. The first three month stage of the trial is now complete, but full results are not expected until September.
Early Results are promising showing major benefits for some children including a child whose reading skills improved by the equivalent of 4 years in just 12 weeks. Other results showed learning ability was increased by 2 years in the 12 week period. Those children taking a placebo experienced no real improvements at all over the same period. (14/05/02)The next stage of the trial involves giving the supplement to both groups of children including the initial placebo group. Supplementation is not likely to benefit all children but those with existing fatty acid metabolism disorders. No conclusions or false hopes should be made at this early stage but those parents wishing to try supplementation could give products similar to eye q made by equazen which is being used in the trial.
