Your child’s concentration

There is a long history of children finding concentration difficult due to having a restless nature. Yet the whole area of child concentration is so complicated and individual to each and every child that it’s difficult to diagnose if there is a problem. Most children experience quite mild lapses of concentration simply because they get distracted by something more interesting. If we’re honest, how many grown ups don’t suffer from this as well?

For the vast majority of children a lack of concentration is something they grow out of as they get older and start school, but it’s worth taking some steps to help your child focus more. For example, on the school run ask your child to look for 5 red cars, then 5 red cars of a certain type, registration plates with a sequence of letters. Make up words from the registration plate.

Omega-3 and brain development

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the two essential nutrients found in Omega-3. While both EPA and DHA are important to good health, it is DHA particularly which is thought to be important because it is the most prominent essential nutrient found in the brain.

Fish oils are the most concentrated form of Omega-3. Some Omega-3 nutrients can be found in flaxseed oil, walnuts and dark green vegetables, the most effective form however is found in oily fish such as mackerel, herring and sardines. Oily fish can often unfortunately be unpalatable, making it a struggle for mothers to get children to eat the recommended amount. In fact a staggering 70% of people in the UK don’t each any oily fish as recommended.

Given a choice we know that in some instances children would prefer to eat chips and fish fingers or ‘junk food’ everyday, whilst mothers know a sensible diet is needed for healthy development, there is education needed in this area. Fish fingers are not rich in Omega-3. Many of our everyday foods such as milk and margarines have been fortified with Omega-3 but at much lower levels. If your child doesn’t like oily fish then a convenient alternative is to take fish oil capsules. The oil found in capsules is refined to provide a pure and guaranteed strength of Omega-3, often in a one-a-day fruity capsule.

In the Haliborange range there are Omega-3 syrups and capsules in delicious flavours that children love. Click here to see the Haliborange Omega-3 range.

For more great tips and information read any of the following pages

• Good Nutrition For Kids
• Aid The Healthy Diet of Kids
• Maintain Your Childs Immune System
• How To Deal With Childhood Tanatrums
• Exercise And Your Child
• Your Child Good Health and Growth