When and how to get better brain development for your child is essential; many suggest the use of computer programs. Experts however believe that it should be done with timing. It is indeed useless if the child’s brain development has actually closed.

It is always good to begin even before the baby is born up to the time of his or her third birthday. This is the most crucial period in the child’s brain development and determines its ability to learn for the rest of their life.

Parents may find that it unusual to start even before their child is capable of reading, writing or reasoning, but research shows that such skills are developed way before a child reaches kindergarten age.

Recently there was a research study conducted that was published in Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology [Vol. 42: 174-181], where doctors used 56 babies as their subject, and they were as young as 5 days old. Their diets were filled with omega 3 fish oil fatty acids and DHA.

Those who were given fish oil supplements proved to have a significantly higher cognitive and motor ability on the “Mental Development Index” as compared to those who were not.

Doctors have concluded that an early dietary supply of fish oil with DHA is needed at an early age to assure an improved performance and mental development for full term babies.

A study made on premature babies, which was published in the Clinics of Perinatology, [Vol. 22(1):157-75], claimed that premature babies also benefit from fish oil. They were given supplements of omega 3 fatty acids with DHA and showed great improvements in both cognitive and visual development.

These are just a few of the many research findings that have proven the secret to a child’s brain development is providing it with enough omega 3 and DHA.

DHA happens to be the richest long-chain omega 3 in the brain tissue. It is said that 95% of all the lipids at birth consist of DHA and forms part of the brain tissues during the pregnancy and during the first year of life.

So it does make sense for pregnant women to consume more fish and get a supplement of fish oil. This is a good way to build a good foundation on a child’s brain development from the very start and will surely be a big factor to determine its intelligence and ability to learn in the future.

Subsequently, make sure that you breast-feed your child during the first year. Sufficient amounts of omega 3’s can come from breast milk.

A report was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and it demonstrates that even small amounts of dietary fish oil with DHA helps in increasing breast milk content. [Vol. 40, 780-785]

These findings on brain development persuaded my wife to use fish oil during pregnancy and lactation, and to give our children supplements of salmon oil while they were only six months old.

From the capsule, it went to the spoon, then to their mouths. And now, we get remarks from people telling us how smart they are and they have high test scores to prove it.

However, the best part is they are happy and healthy children too. Give your kids fish oil and you will be happy you did.

Tags: Nutrition

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