Summary
Two American researchers, Louise Patrick, SLP, and Ronald M. Salik, MD, have recently reported the results of a clinical trial of the effects of a fish-oil supplement on language development and learning skills in children with autism or Asperger's syndrome1. Fish oil provides essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are critical for brain health. Children with attention deficit, autistic, and related disorders have been shown to have significantly lower levels of EFAs in their red blood cells2.
The Patrick-Salik trial was an open-label study involving children aged 3 to 10 years who had been diagnosed with autism or Asperger's syndrome by a pediatric neurologist or qualified pediatric specialist. Children with a diagnosis of seizures, an allergy to fish or borage oil, or who were currently taking an EFA supplement were excluded. Parents were asked to refrain from adding new therapies during the study, and parental consent was obtained for each child.
The supplement, ProEFA™ from Nordic Naturals, combines omega-3 from fish oil and omega-6 from borage oil to provide 247 mg EPA and DHA, 40 mg GLA, and 14 IU Vitamin E. The children were each given one gram of ProEFA (Complete Omega™/Omega 3.6.9 Jr.™) per day for 90 days. If swallowing the capsule proved difficult, parents were encouraged to squeeze the contents into a food.
On days 0, 45, and 90 of supplementation, 49 developmental items from the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS), a criterion-referenced tool, were used to measure eight primary areas of language and learning: receptive language, requesting, labeling, intraverbals, imitation, play skills, social interaction, and generalization. Both the initial and final assessments were conducted by Ms. Patrick, a certified speech pathologist. An adult who knew the child well (parent, teacher, therapist) and who had been trained in scoring assessed the child on day 45 using the same 49 items. The score from day 0 was not referenced during evaluation on day 90.
Of the initial 22 children, 18 completed the 90-day trial. All of the children displayed
significant increases in their language and learning skills based upon the ABLLS. A t-test
analysis of the data in the areas of receptive language, requesting, play skills, intraverbals
and social interaction resulted in a p-value < 0.0001. A p-value of <0.001 was obtained in
the areas of labeling and generalization. In addition a p-value of <0.01 was obtained for
vocal imitation. These p-values demonstrate that the increase in scores from day 0 to day 90
had high statistical significance. Ms. Patrick noted the importance of fish oil purity and,
keeping in mind the hypersensitivity of most children with autism-related disorders, of
beginning with the lowest possible dose for this population. "Our significant results were
achieved with a relatively small amount of essential fatty acids," she observed.
Dr. Salik is the Medical Director of the Children's Emergency Center at Tucson Medical Center in Arizona. Ms. Patrick has over 10 years' experience providing services for children with autism and Asperger's syndrome. She is available for free consultation regarding EFA supplementation for children with communication difficulties at www.nordicnaturals.com/direct/asklouise.asp.
Original source:
http://www.nordicnaturals.com
Details
Fish Oil Supplementation and Autism/Asperger's Syndrome: A New Study
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, and he has published numerous courses on preparedness and survival, including financial preparedness, emergency food supplies, urban survival and tactical self-defense. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2010, Adams launched TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video site featuring videos on holistic health and green living. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email marketing software company whose technology currently powers the NaturalNews email newsletters. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training.
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Saturday, May 28, 2005
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