Vitamins

This is for the many people who have asked about which vitamins we use. From the research I have done, it appears that being low on one vitamin during a critical period of development can lead to developmental problems. Being low in iron or B12 or zinc can all lead to developmental problems.

Other parents recommendations, testing, doctors and a lot of research have let us to the vitamins that have helped us to get better. Every child is different and while I feel everyone with children who have developmental problems or poor immunity should pursue nutritional intervention, doing your own research is critical to helping your children. A fascinating place to start is reading books on nutrition. One book I strongly recommend is Smart Fats: How Dietary Fats and Oils Affect Mental, Physical and Emotional Intelligence by Michael E. Schmidt.

Studies suggest fish oil is good for mood, hyperactivity and general brain function. I take Nordic Naturals EPAextra which has the highest ratio of EPA/DHA and Nordic Naturals seems to be the most tested for mercury. A liquid that we use for the kids is Omega 3 liquid by Nordic Naturals. We get it flavored at our pharmacy or use the flavorings sold at allergygrocer.com and give them a childs dosage that was recommended by a neurologist.

I highly recommend ordering the fish oil from the internet and not purchasing it through the store. If the fish oil has been on the shelf too long it can get rancid. If it smells fishy after you purchase it take it back. The omega 3 liquid has no fish odor when it is fresh. Also, it must be refrigerated so it doesn’t go bad.

Other supplements we have found successful are:

sublingual B12/folic acid Testing revealed one member of our family needed this vitamin and everyone seems to benefit. There is an indication that some people’s blood levels are high of this vitamin, but their tissue levels are low–kind of like a diabetic who has high blood sugar levels. The new research suggests sublingual (under the tongue) is as effective as injectible B12 to people who can not absorb (or produce) B12 because of damage to their gut because of celiac or other GI disorders. Our son starting talking when we began sublingual B12/folic acid.

B6/magnesium from Kirkland Labs (designed specifically for children)

GI Flora (probiotic) through Allergy Research Group. A NYC environmental allergist, Dr. Teich, prescribed this particular brand when tests revealed a complete absence of good gut flora for my youngest. This probiotic contains several beneficial probiotics, the most important for us is 1.2 billion Bifidobacterium longum. You can order this product through Invite Health at 1-800-844-9060. If they don’t have it in stock they will order it for you. We have tried others when we have run out and they don’t work as well.

You can go to a health food store and find a similar one by bringing them the information above. But, we have found GI flora to work the best.

Zyme Prime Enzymes from Houston Neutraceuticals

What kind of vitamins you use depend on the severity of the symptoms and testing. I am only giving this information to let you know what works for members of my family. Also, we began many of these vitamins after other parents suggested them.