Fish oil supplements contain concentrated omega-3 fatty acids, most notably including eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. These essential micronutrients are critical for overall health and wellebing throughout every stage of life, including childhood. Liquid fish oil may provide essential nutritional building blocks to children, but no studies have sufficiently weighed their benefits and risks. Consult your child's pediatrician before administering a liquid fish oil supplement.
Benefits
The National Institutes of Health reports that infant formulas are often fortified with the same omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. These appear to improve newborns' eye and brain development compared to ordinary infant formula. The NIH also regards fish oil as "possibly effective" for treating ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder, asthma, allergies and dermatitis in children. However, no systematic reviews have conclusively demonstrated that fish oil effecitvely treats or cures any condition affecting children.
Dose Guidelines
Relatively few studies have weighed the benefits and risks of fish oil for children; most studies have focused on adults. For this reason, there is no established safe dose recommended universally by medical practitioners. Nevertheless, as a treatment for motor disorders in children, the National Institutes of Health recommends liquid fish oil amounting to 558 mg of EPA and 174 mg of DHA in 3 divided doses per day. Because no studies have conclusively determined the appropriate doses of liquid fish oil for other conditions, a pediatrician should provide guidance before a parent administers any dose of fish oil to a child.
Side Effects
The most common side effects of fish oil, for both children and adults, are gastrointestinal in nature. The University of Maryland Medical Center ranks flatulence, belching, bloating and diarrhea among the most common side effects of liquid fish oil. Body odor, including bad breath and fishy-smelling reflux, are also common. The UMMC reports that time-release capsules may cause fewer side effects than liquid supplements. Parents should monitor children using fish oil carefully to identify and address any side effects of the supplement. In some cases, the side effects of fish oil may be significant enough to warrant discontinuation of use.
Considerations
In some special circumstances, liquid fish oil poses an unacceptably serious risk to children. For example, the National Institutes of Health notes that the supplement can decrease immune function among people with already-compromised immune systems. If a child is HIV positive or taking immunosuppressants, he should not use liquid fish oil without a pediatrician's explicit recommendation. Fish oil supplements can also cause excessive bleeding among children with bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and von Willebrand disease. Fish oil can additionally interact with some prescription drugs. Any time that a child has a medical condition or uses medication, expert guidance is essential to weigh the relative benefits and risks of liquid fish oil supplements.
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