anyone use eye-q to try and help their dc's concentration in class?

[paddingtonbear1]

Have searched the archives but it didn't come up with anything. dd has had poor concentration and listening skills since she started school - she's now in yr 2 and a fair way behind. Her old teacher thought she was just being awkward and not bothering, but the new one doesn't think so and dd now has an IEP. I'm not sure dd is just being awkward either, as she's been the same since nursery. Her teacher says she can't follow instructions and doesn't always seem to understand.
I read that eye-q can help children concentrate better so have got some chews for dd. Has anyone else had good/bad experience with this?

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

I asked the very same question a couple of weeks ago, if I were less of a technoknob I'd try to find the thread for you.
the general consensus appears to be, that while it isn't harmful, there is no evidence to show itis beneficial. I had wondered that myself, hence the thread. MY dd has been taking them for around 3 years now. She showed a huge improvement in her concentration when she begun, this gradually tailed off and we are back to square one now. I think that once our supply runs out, we won't be replenishing it.

[paddingtonbear1]

kreecher thanks, I did manage to find the thread!
My original thought was, the worst it could do was nothing. Has your dd's concentration improved at all as she got older? I was hoping dd's would but so far not at all. Nothing else we have tried has made any difference at all. The TA has to spend a lot of her time in class helping dd, or dd would be even further behind!

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

It's very hard to be objective about her concentration. I don't think it has improved massively TBH, she is more able to sit still for longer, but, all her teachers do comment that she is a wriggler. Not boding well for her dream job of neurosurgeon. I don't think I'm harming her by giving them to her, but as I said, this year's supply will be the last. We live in Switzerland and there doesn't seem to be the mania for equazen here, I've never seen them on the shelves in the pharmacy for example and definitely not in supermarkets.

[oneplusone]

My DD also has poor concentration, but only in certain things. I have concluded that she can concentrate if she wants to but if she doesn't like the subject she just doesn't bother. Very hard to deal with but not as worrying as an overall lack of concentrating ability iykwim?

[paddingtonbear1]

oneplusone yes I see what you mean. I did think this was part of dd's problem - she wasn't interested in school stuff, apart from the art, craft and computer lessons! Her reading is improving but her maths is bad. Learning spellings is tortuous. Her teacher says she may have a mild learning disability but it's too early to say yet. Her general behaviour is fine.
Maybe she just doesn't see the point of school yet and isn't interested at all!

[oneplusone]

paddington, we have not yet started on spellings but like you, i think it will be torture both for DD and myself! But, like your DD, mine loves art, craft, making and inventing things etc. I have kind of relaxed about the whole thing now. I think my DD is very intelligent, just not in the way that is recognised at school ie at reading, writing, maths etc (although she seems to prefer maths to reading). Her general behaviour is also fine and socially i feel she is very advanced.

Perhaps your DD does not have a learnig disability, she might just be more 'right brained' ie creative, musical, etc. My DD is left handed and that is usually a sign of being creative/right brained.

[katiestar]

Purely anecdotal but I noticed a dramatic difference in one of my children's concentration and behaviour after a relatively short time taking a cheapish fish oil supplement.

[AtheneNoctua]

My DD has the attention span of a fricken gnat. Always has. This was apparent when she was two. So, i signed her up for ballet thinking they would get her to concentrate for longer than a nanosecond. Ha! That didn't work. (however she has proven herself to be a pretty good dancer )

She hated reading when it was introduced in reception. DD is also very competitive and really can't stand to do anything she not good at. So learning to read was not her idea of fun because of course she didn't know how do do it (let alone well). Unlike one of the comments below, she is quite good at math and spelling. She has a good memory. And if she is interested she will listen and engage. But, it has to be something she is actually interested in.

Anyway, she is in year 2 now. She likes reading now because she has learned to do it so there is some satisfaction and sense of achievement for her there. But, reading is never really going to be her reat love.

I'm a big fan of fish oils because I think they are good for everybody. I took them when I was pregnant, and one of my persnickety food rules for the nanny is that the kids eat salmon at least once a week. Has it helped her? I don't know. But it hasn't hurt her.

[paddingtonbear1]

Athene, dd fancied ballet, and swimming but I thought it would end in disaster as she'd never listen to the teacher. I have visions of her doing her own dance in the middle of the room!
Her teacher photocopied her IEP for me. The first thing on it is for dd to do what she is asked the first time. ha! I haven't managed that very often yet. I don't always know if she hasn't heard me, not understood, or just doesn't want to bother. Her teacher does think that her level of understanding is well behind what it should be for her age.
Her reading is getting better, her writing is not great most of the time. I don't think she likes having to work at things, 'it's too hard, I am no good at it' is a common complaint! Her behaviour is normally fine though. Each child is different aren't they. I am hoping school will come right for dd in the end..

[noideawhereIamgoing]

Think I'd be trying to get some real oily fish into her diet rather than Fish Oils - which contain a load of crap along with some supposedly benefical oil. Have you tried salmon fish fingers or omega 3 fish fingers? As for the concentrating thing, I have my fingers firmly crossed that dd will grow out of it (which to an extent she is) or at least learn some coping mechanisms, as there doesn't seem to be many options in helping to improve it.

[AtheneNoctua]

another really good source of omega 3 is walnuts.

www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=75

[ICANDOTHAT]

Paddington I can only speak from experience .... have used EyeQ for my ds dx ADHD for a year (he is not on medication btw) I and his teachers feel they have worked a lot. He can concentrate longer and pays way more attention in class. They actually feel he is learning effectively now. His reading came on a bomb and he was generally calmer. For us, they have been a success and whilst I know there has been much written about fish oils, it is a FACT that the brain needs them to function to full effect. Haven't read all posts, but have you asked the school SENCO to get involved in case your dd has any specific learning difficulty? In my very humble opinion, a child who doesn't stay on task is usually unable to. Just a thought .....

[paddingtonbear1]

Ican, I'm glad they worked for your ds - how long was it before you noticed any real difference? dd now has an IEP and yes the SENCO is involved. Parents evening is in a few weeks so we will speak to the teacher again then.
Good idea about the fish fingers, I have bought a large bag from Sainsbury's - I'm pretty sure they are the Omega 3 ones. dh says they taste slightly different but dd doesn't seem to mind!

[pagwatch]

paddington.
My DS2 improved massively with regular use of fish oils.

Of course try and use some natural sourced EFas like fish fingers but if you can afford a good quality blend of EFAs I would add too.
Make sure they are properaly balanced omegas 3,6 and 9.

But if you can only afford the crap versions like haliborange then don't bother. Nordic naturals are good and equazen are not bad either

Nuts and seeds are good too. I buy linseed and put it into bread crumbs for cooking.

[ICANDOTHAT]

Paddington The dosage is often doubled or more during first 6 weeks and it was probably around that time I and school noticed the difference. Eskimo Kids is another good fish oil supplement (avail Tesco)

[noideawhereIamgoing]

No need for a blend of Omega 3,6 & 9. Omega 6 (present in sunflower oil) is usually consumed at a hugely inflated rate compared to Omega 3 and the ratio of consumption is important, so it's unlikely a supplement is needed. And Omega 9 is made naturally by your body.
Also although I'm veggie and would like to hope that non-fish versions of Omega 3 will do some good for me, the research on concentration effects has only shown benefits from fish based omega 3 (they have a slightly different chemical structure). Also if you are relying on veggie sources of omega 3, like flaxseed oil or walnuts then avoid hydrogenatated veg oil - present in many processed foods, it interfers with the bodies ability to absorb veggie omega 3.

[noideawhereIamgoing]

hydrogenated veg oil