Dyspraxia is a developmental condition characterized by the impairment of muscle coordination and organization. Although this condition can improve with therapy and special classroom accommodations, research shows that omega-3 supplements play a role in reducing symptoms.Kids with dyspraxia have difficulty carrying out complex actions like buttoning a shirt, catching a ball, or tying shoelaces. Their handwriting is often difficult to read and they experience trouble with language, thought, perception, and attention. Early detection of dyspraxia is critical to a child's recovery; experts have observed that children whose dyspraxia was discovered early in life are more likely to be accepted by peers, have high self-esteem, and experience fewer academic difficulties.
Although there is no single cause attributed to dyspraxia, experts believe that this disorder is be due to the slow development of neurons in the brain, which is linked to various environmental factors. Current research also discovered that children with dyspraxia and related learning disorders are often deficient in essential fatty acids like omega-3 fats, and the nutrients needed to process them. Dyspraxia and its related disorders are triggered by poor neuron communication in the brain, and omega-3 fats EPA and DHA allow neurons to send loud and clear messages to each other. Doctors from the Hammersmith Hospital in London discovered that 97 kids with dyslexia (a similar disorder characterized by difficulties learning to read, write and spell) were deficient in omega-3 essential fatty acids. In fact, the children with the lowest scores in reading and writing were found to have the worst omega-3 fat deficiencies.
On the other hand, supplementing the diet with omega-3 rich food or fish oil supplements can reduce the difficulties related to dyspraxia. A trial in Oxford provided supplements to 117 children with dyspraxia; one group was given omega-3 fats EPA and DHA and the healthy omega-6 fat GLA, while the other took a placebo. After three months, the researchers noted that the children in the omega-3 group made significant improvements in writing, fine motor skills, and attention span compared to those in the placebo group. Another study from the University of Surrey gave EPA, DHA, and GLA to 15 dyspraxic children whose performance in a standardized motor coordination test put them in the bottom 1% of their age group. After 12 weeks of taking these supplements, all children showed dramatic improvements in terms of balance, ball skills, and overall dexterity.
So if your dyspraxic child has the symptoms of an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency (cracked lips, dull hair, brittle nails, or excessive thirst), supplementing the diet with fish oils may relieve some of the difficulties caused by the disorder.
